Leggett & Platt Components Europe Limited has been fined £80,000 after a 20-year-old worker sustained multiple foot fractures and nerve damage in a warehouse collision at its Barnsley facility on 14 November 2024. The prosecution, brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), also saw the company ordered to pay full costs of £3,374.
Inadequate risk assessment led to serious warehouse vehicle collision
The incident occurred when Charlie O’Dowd, then 20, was operating a ride-on pallet truck during the installation of new automated machinery at the company’s Long Royd warehouse. His unguarded pallet truck collided with a fork lift truck driven by another employee, resulting in severe injuries to his foot. The worker suffered multiple fractures and has been left with long-term nerve damage, significantly impacting his life and ability to work.
An investigation by the HSE revealed that Leggett & Platt Components Europe Limited had implemented changes to its workplace transport routes to accommodate the ongoing machinery installation. These alterations meant that both ride-on pallet trucks and fork lift trucks were required to utilise the same routes within a busy stock loading area. The investigation highlighted that visibility was limited in these areas, and the overall volume of vehicle movements had increased significantly due to the revised layout.
The HSE concluded that the bed spring manufacturer had prioritised the installation of the new machinery but had failed to adequately consider the impact these significant changes to workplace transport arrangements would have on worker safety. A key failing identified was that the revised vehicle routes had not been properly risk assessed before being put into operation, directly contributing to the hazardous conditions that led to the collision. This oversight meant that potential dangers, such as the increased likelihood of vehicle-to-vehicle collisions in shared, busy thoroughfares, were not identified or mitigated.
Every year, numerous accidents involving transport occur in workplaces across the country, some of which result in fatalities.
The HSE provides clear guidance on measures employers should take to ensure the safety of their workforce, emphasising the critical importance of robust risk assessments and clear segregation of vehicles and pedestrians where possible. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences when these fundamental safety principles are overlooked.
Leggett & Platt Components Europe Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This section places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. The company’s failure to manage the risks associated with its altered transport routes was a direct contravention of this duty. The sentencing took place at Leeds Magistrates Court on 20 October 2026.
HSE Inspector Chris Parker underscored the importance of this case, stating, “This incident highlights the critical need for organisations to thoroughly assess the wider safety implications of any changes made within a workplace, even if those changes are intended to be temporary. When workplace transport routes are modified, employers must ensure that all new risks created by these changes are properly assessed and controlled before they are introduced. Had suitable planning and a comprehensive risk assessment been carried out, this preventable incident, which caused serious injury to a young worker, could have been avoided entirely.”
The prosecution by the HSE aims to send a clear message to all employers that neglecting safety protocols, particularly concerning workplace transport, carries severe legal and financial penalties, alongside the immeasurable human cost of worker injuries. Organisations must ensure that safety remains paramount, especially during periods of operational change or expansion, to protect their employees from harm.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre
