Scunthorpe firm fined £266,000 after worker crushed between two lorries
Barrett Steel admits health and safety breach after female employee suffers life-changing injuries at Glebe Road site
A Scunthorpe company has been fined more than a quarter of a million pounds after a worker was crushed between two lorries and left with life-changing injuries.
Barrett Steel Limited was ordered to pay £266,000 at Hull Crown Court after admitting a breach of health and safety law. The case followed a detailed investigation by North Lincolnshire Council.
The accident happened at Kass Steel Stockholders on Glebe Road, Scunthorpe, on February 4, 2022. The employee had been checking her lorry load when she was struck by a reversing vehicle and trapped between the two trucks.
She suffered multiple fractures, soft tissue injuries and psychological trauma. She spent several weeks in Hull Royal Infirmary after being airlifted to hospital and has since been unable to return to work. The victim described the day of the incident as “the day my world fell apart.”
Investigators found that Barrett Steel had failed to put adequate safety systems in place to protect pedestrians from moving vehicles. The Bradford-based firm admitted breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Councillor Carl Sherwood, cabinet member for public protection, said the case highlighted the importance of workplace safety:
“Employers have a legal and moral duty to protect staff, and failing to do so can result in serious, preventable harm. This was a terrible accident, and our thoughts are with the injured individual.”
Council leaders have urged other businesses to learn from the case and ensure employee safety is treated as a top priority.