A landscaping and civil engineering company has been fined £125,000 after a worker suffered life-changing injuries when he was struck by a reversing vehicle at a workplace in Wolverhampton.
The incident happened on 22 September 2017 at Hollybush Farm, Warstone Road, Shareshill, Wolverhampton, operated by Jack Moody Landscaping and Civil Engineering Limited.
The 58-year-old employee sustained devastating injuries after a visiting flatbed truck reversed into him while he was walking across the site. The collision resulted in serious head injuries, damage to his eyesight and significant mental and psychological trauma that has had a lasting impact on his life.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the workplace had not been organised in a way that allowed pedestrians and vehicles to move around safely. Investigators discovered there were no clearly marked pedestrian walkways, no effective instructions for drivers carrying out vehicle manoeuvres and insufficient controls to ensure reversing vehicles could operate without endangering workers on foot.
The case highlights one of the most persistent dangers in UK workplaces. Workplace transport incidents continue to account for a significant proportion of serious injuries and fatalities, particularly in construction, civil engineering, logistics and agricultural environments.
According to HSE guidance, employers should eliminate the need for reversing wherever possible through measures such as one-way traffic systems and drive-through loading arrangements. Where reversing cannot be avoided, routes should be carefully planned and controlled to minimise risks to workers and visitors.
Following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court in November 2025, Jack Moody Landscaping and Civil Engineering Limited was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. At a sentencing hearing on 15 June 2026, the company was fined £125,000 and ordered to pay £150,000 in costs.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Principal Inspector Laura Royales said the incident was entirely preventable and resulted from the company’s failure to implement straightforward measures to separate vehicles and pedestrians.
She added that workplace transport incidents remain one of the most common causes of fatal injuries within the sector and that employers must ensure workplaces are organised properly to protect workers.
Jonathan Morgan, spokesperson for The Workers Union, said:
“This incident highlights the devastating consequences that can occur when basic workplace safety measures are overlooked. No worker should suffer life-changing injuries simply because pedestrians and vehicles have not been properly separated.
Workplace transport remains one of the most significant hazards across construction, landscaping and civil engineering environments. Employers must ensure robust traffic management systems are in place, including clearly marked pedestrian routes, designated vehicle movements and effective supervision where reversing vehicles are operating.
The Workers Union continues to encourage all employers to review their workplace transport arrangements and ensure worker safety is placed at the centre of every operational decision. Incidents such as this are entirely preventable when the correct controls and procedures are implemented and maintained.”
