Traditional Slate & Stone Supplies of Horbury Bridge, Wakefield, has been fined today (9 January) for failing to keep a forklift truck in good working order, which posed a danger to workers.

The company was prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) at Wakefield Magistrates’ Court for breaches of health & safety law.

Among what the company supplies is one-tonne flexible bags of stones. HSE found that a forklift truck being used on 28 May 2010 to move these bags had not been maintained and that two sets of bearings holding the forks in line had collapsed.

Magistrates were told by HSE that as the forks were lowered, they could jam on the mast and then fall when dislodged, putting employees working nearby at risk of serious injury.

HSE found the forklift had been repaired on many occasions in the previous year but all the work had been reactive to repair faults, not maintenance to keep it in good repair. The company’s maintenance regime was to repair in response to breakdowns.

The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £4,138 in costs after admitting a breach of the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Neil Hope-Collins said: "This shows the potential dangers of relying solely on fixing things when they go wrong. All machinery should be maintained regularly to ensure it is safe to work with and near. That means looking for signs of wear and tear before they lead to an incident.”

For information about safe working with equipment, click here.