A Suffolk cargo handling company has been fined £100,000 after an employee suffered serious injury when a slab of marble said to weigh a tonne fell on him. 

Ipswich Crown Court heard on 6 May how an employee of Extreme Handling Ltd was working at GMA Warehousing & Transport's site in Felixstowe unloading a container of marble.

He was assisting a fork lift truck operator to move the slab of marble from a container when it fell on him. He suffered extensive crush injuries, a fractured sternum and severe lacerations to the back of his head. 

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive into the incident which occurred on 15 August 2014 found that there was an unsafe system of work being used to move the load. 

GMA Warehousing & Transport Ltd, of Central Avenue, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich, Suffolk, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £9,938.38. 

HSE inspector Jessica Churchyard said afterwards: “Employers have an absolute duty to ensure they do everything reasonably practicable to ensure the health & safety of their employees.” 

For further information on working safely with fork lift trucks visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks