Residents in Harlow may have heard reports of an incident involving a worker at the Plumbase store in Cambridgeshire. The workplace accident involved a forklift truck and left the man needing hospital treatment.

The incident occurred in the warehouse of the Ely branch store on Feb. 26 at approximately 10:15 a.m. when the man became trapped by the forklift truck that he was operating. Emergency services were called to the scene, and the man was freed by the Cambridge Fire and Rescue Service. He was taken to hospital suffering from a bruised abdomen and is reported to be recovering.

The Managing Director of Plumbase gave a statement saying that they had begun an investigation into the incident and would be working with the local authority responsible for health and safety.

Local authorities are often responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation in the retail industry. In the course of executing this duty, they may, advise businesses on the management of risk in the workplace, carry out inspections and investigate accidents or complaints. In some cases, the local authority has the right to issue an enforcement notice or to take prosecution actions.

Employers have a duty of care towards their employees and must follow relevant health and safety legislation. In order to meet this duty of care, it may be appropriate for the employer to supply a rest area, arrange for appropriate training or carry out risk assessments.

If an employee is injured at work and believes that his or her employer may have breached their duty of care, the worker may wish to consult with a solicitor who is familiar with personal injury law. The solicitor may be able to give advice regarding a compensation claim for injury or for loss of earnings.

Source: Ely News, “Investigation underway after worker became trapped under forklift truck at Plumbase in Ely,” Jordan Day, March 2, 2015