The UK’s largest independent steel stockholder and processor has been fined £266,000 after an employee was crushed between two lorries and sustained life-changing injuries.
The incident occurred on 4 February 2022 at a site operated by the company. The employee, a company driver, was checking the load on her lorry before leaving the site when she was trapped between the rear of her vehicle and a reversing lorry. She was airlifted to Hull Royal Infirmary with multiple fractures, soft tissue injuries, and psychological trauma, and remained in hospital for several weeks. She has not been able to return to work since the accident.
A North Lincolnshire Council investigation concluded that the company had failed to implement a sufficient safe system of work to protect pedestrians from moving vehicles.
At Hull Crown Court on 15 September 2025, the company – which employs more than 1,000 people across the UK and Ireland and has an annual turnover exceeding £400 million – pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. In addition to the £266,000 fine, the company was ordered to pay £9,739 in prosecution costs.
Cllr Carl Sherwood, cabinet member for public protection, said: ‘This case underscores the vital importance of workplace health and safety. Employers have a legal and moral duty to protect staff, and failing to do so can result in serious, preventable harm. Businesses must learn from this case to prevent similar incidents and ensure the welfare of their employees remains a top priority.’
Andy Warcup, CEO of the company, added: ‘On behalf of our company, we sincerely apologise for our failings that contributed to this accident. Since the incident, we have implemented a range of measures to ensure compliance and exceed industry standards, prioritising the safety of all employees. We hope this outcome offers some degree of closure for our employee and wish her the very best in her ongoing recovery.’
Source – IOSH
