A textile manufacturer has been fined £300,000 after a worker sustained life-altering injuries in a workplace transport incident at its Bilston factory. The event, which occurred on 23 March 2023, has prompted renewed scrutiny of safety standards in industrial environments.
The incident took place at JMP Wilcox & Company Ltd’s Beldray Works site, where a 42-year-old employee was operating a ride-on electric pallet truck. While returning an empty cage to the designated area, he was struck by a telescopic handler driven by another colleague.
CCTV footage obtained by investigators revealed the employee and his supervisor working together in the ‘goods-in’ zone in the moments leading up to the collision.
Following a full investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the firm was found to have inadequately managed the risks associated with vehicle movements in the workplace. The HSE concluded that the company had failed to organise the site in a way that provided clear segregation between pedestrian workers and moving machinery such as forklifts, telescopic handlers, and other transport equipment.
HSE Inspector Gail Bell commented on the severity of the oversight:
“This incident highlights the dangers to safety from inadequate management of workplace transport. A man suffered very serious injuries due to the failure to put suitable control measures in place. These measures ensure people are kept safe at work and specifically prevent them from being struck by a moving vehicle.”
The investigation revealed systemic failings in the firm’s approach to health and safety. Risk assessments were either insufficient or entirely lacking when it came to managing workplace traffic. The absence of physical barriers, signage, and a formal traffic management plan ultimately left employees exposed to serious hazards.
At a hearing held at Dudley Magistrates’ Court on 20 June 2025, JMP Wilcox & Company Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — a key provision that requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work.
In addition to the £300,000 fine, the firm was ordered to pay £7,732 in legal costs.
A preventable accident
The Workers Union believes that this case reinforces the importance of clear and robust safety procedures, particularly in busy industrial environments where pedestrians and vehicles often operate in close proximity. Employers have a legal and moral responsibility to anticipate risks and put practical safeguards in place to prevent avoidable harm.
The scale of the penalty reflects the gravity of the company’s failings. But more importantly, it sends a strong message to firms across the manufacturing and logistics sectors: neglecting transport safety can have serious consequences for workers and businesses alike.
This latest ruling adds to a growing number of prosecutions focused on workplace transport hazards — one of the most persistent causes of injury in UK workplaces. Whether through poor planning, inadequate staff training, or the failure to invest in basic infrastructure such as physical separation or pedestrian routes, many of these incidents share a common theme — they could have been avoided.
For companies operating in high-risk settings, the solution lies not in reactive measures after a workplace accident occurs, but in proactive investment in safety culture, layout design, and operational discipline.
Conclusion
As enforcement agencies continue to clamp down on breaches of health and safety law, firms are being urged to review their current practices and ensure that workplace transport systems are clearly defined, risk-assessed and rigorously implemented.
