A Lancashire company involved in fruit and vegetable production has been fined £320,000 after a man 'who always put family first' was killed on-site.
Francis Schlachter, known as Frank, suffered severe head injuries when he fell from a skip at a farm operated by M.A.Forshaw Ltd on 3 January 2020.
The 64-year-old was described as ‘a rock’ by his wife of 35 years Linda, who said how much he would be missed by his friends and family.
Frank had been working at the site off Marsh Moss Lane, tipping food waste into a skip from a container attached to a forklift truck (FLT).
The container could not be securely attached to the FLT, which was known to detach from the vehicle during the procedure.
As Frank attempted to manually assist in the operation, he was standing on top of the skip when the container slipped from the FLT causing him to fall to the ground, resulting in fatal head injuries.
“I have lost my soul mate,” Linda said. “He was a gentleman through and through, who will live on in our hearts and memories forever.
“Frank was my rock. He was kind, dependable and always put his family first. Since his passing, I have had a fair share of trials and tribulations to encounter and these have been a great challenge without the support of a beloved husband.
“We have all suffered the loss and it will be embedded in our bones forever. No man should go to work and never return home after a day of hard work.”
Companies that use work equipment must manage the risks associated with its use, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said, which launched an investigation into the incident.
The safety watchdog concluded that M.A.Forshaw Ltd had not fully assessed the risks involved in this daily task.
Had they done so, the dangers would have been identified, it said. The farm also failed to maintain equipment in safe working order and to properly instruct staff in safe working practices.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £320,000 and were ordered to pay £4,574 costs at a hearing at Wirral Magistrates’ Court on 1 February 2024.
HSE inspector Lianne Farrington said: “This wholly avoidable tragic incident led to the death of a much loved husband, dad and grandad.
“It was caused by the failure of the company to implement safe systems of work, properly maintain work equipment, and sufficiently assess the risks involved in routine work processes.
“If suitable work practices had been in place prior to the incident, Frank’s death could have been prevented."
