By Ivan Morris Poxton
Copyright grimsbytelegraph
A company has been fined more than £260,000 after a worker was crushed between two lorries. The female staff member thankfully survived, but suffered serious injuries that left her looking back on the horrific incident as “the day my world fell apart”. Barrett Steel Limited has been fined £266,000 at Hull Crown Court after pleading guilty to a health and safety breach. The court case follows an investigation by North Lincolnshire Council . The incident occurred at Kass Steel Stockholders, in Glebe Road, Scunthorpe , on February 4, 2022. Kass Steel Stockholders is operated by Barrett Steel Limited. The woman was crushed between two lorries as a vehicle reversed. She was taken via air ambulance to Hull Royal Infirmary. She remained there for several weeks, receiving treatment. She sustained multiple fractures, soft tissue injuries and psychological trauma. Since the accident, she has been unable to return to work. The employee, who worked for Barrett Steel, was checking the load on her lorry was safe before leaving the site, when she was crushed between her vehicle and the reversing lorry. A North Lincolnshire Council investigation found Barrett Steel Limited had failed to implement an adequate safe system of work to ensure pedestrians were protected from moving vehicles. Barrett Steel Limited, of Barrett House, Cutler Heights Lane, Dudley Hill, Bradford, BD4 9HU, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £266,000 at Hull Crown Court on September 15. It was also ordered to pay £9,739.90 in costs and a £190 victim surcharge. Cllr Carl Sherwood, cabinet member with responsibility for public protection at North Lincolnshire Council, said: “This case underscores the vital importance of workplace health and safety. Employers have a legal and moral duty to protect staff, and failing to do so can result in serious, preventable harm, as we see here. “The council takes health and safety breaches extremely seriously and will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to meet their obligations. This was a terrible accident, and our thoughts are with the injured individual. “Businesses must learn from this case to prevent similar incidents in the future, ensuring that the health, safety, and welfare of their employees remain a top priority.” Did you know you can get all the latest Scunthorpe headlines sent straight to your inbox for free? All you have to do is click this link and we’ll update you on all the latest stories as they happen. The incident occurred early on the morning of February 4, 2022 . On the day, East Midlands Ambulance Service it received a call at 8.04am. Eyewitnesses reported police arriving at 8.30am and the air ambulance also at a similar time. A paramedic in an ambulance car and a crewed ambulance also attended. The air ambulance used a nearby supermarket car park to land and take off. Police collision investigators also subsequently attended the scene. Do you feel safe on the roads? You can have your say by completing the poll below or by clicking here .
