By Marcus Hale · Published 14 November 2026 · 3 min read
A Staffordshire manufacturing firm has been fined £300,000 after a 63-year-old worker suffered severe crush injuries during an unplanned lifting operation. E H Hassell & Sons Limited pleaded guilty to breaching lifting regulations following the incident at its Trentham industrial site in March 2025.
Background
Gary Taylor was assisting with the unloading of a lorry trailer containing heavy steel components for a large filtration system. Workers used an improvised system, placing forklift tines underneath an unsecured metal hopper to lift it from the trailer bed. The load slipped from the forks and struck Taylor in the head as he stood alongside the vehicle. He sustained skull, neck and spine fractures, alongside two broken ribs and a severe forehead laceration that required 17 staples and 14 stitches.
Industry implications
The prosecution underscores the severe financial and operational risks of ad hoc materials handling. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found the lifting operation had not been planned by a competent person. The company failed to assess the weight, size, centre of gravity and lifting points of the load. Moving objects of this size was not a regular task at the facility, yet no safe system of work was established to manage the unusual hazard. The firm pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.
What contractors should do now
Site managers must ensure all lifting operations, especially non-routine tasks, are properly resourced, planned and organised. Companies need to appoint a competent person to assess load characteristics before any lift begins, regardless of perceived urgency. Workers must be instructed never to use improvised lifting methods or unsecured forklift attachments. Management must enforce strict exclusion zones around all lifting operations to keep personnel clear of potential drop zones.
Expert view
The Health and Safety Executive investigation concluded that the complete absence of a safe system of work directly led to the incident. Taylor spent three weeks in hospital and required seven months off work to recover. He stated that the incident left him a shadow of his former self, highlighting the devastating personal impact of basic safety failures. The regulator's guidance explicitly states that it is critical to properly resource, plan and organise lifting operations so they are carried out in a safe manner.
What happens next
E H Hassell & Sons Limited was sentenced at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 23 October 2026. Alongside the £300,000 fine, the company was ordered to pay £5,690 in prosecution costs. The case serves as a permanent warning to the manufacturing and construction sectors regarding the strict enforcement of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.
Sources
- Health & Safety Matters — Health & Safety Matters
