Firm fined over employee's death
December 14, 2004
A Coventry firm has been fined £105,000 over the death of one of its employees who was crushed under metal containers.
Neil Morris, 36, was killed when metal bins, knocked over by a forklift truck, toppled onto him at Sofedit UK in Burnsall Road, Canley, in April 2002.
The company admitted failing to make a suitable risk assessment and failure to ensure the safety of workers under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
It was also ordered to pay costs of £37,000 at Coventry Crown Court.
Mr Morris had been working in an aisle at the firm, which makes car components, when he was struck by a stack of four metal bins.
The court heard how a spoke from a forklift truck nearby had caught in one of the bins causing them to fall onto him.
He suffered multiple injuries and was taken to hospital, but died during emergency surgery.
A spokesperson from the Health and Safety Executive said the case sent out a clear message to other companies and their shareholders on the need to treat the safety of its staff as a priority.
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