Regatta fined after death of worker

Urmston-based outdoor clothing company Regatta Ltd has been fined £150,000 following the death of a worker at its warehouse in 2006.

Padraig Ward died as a result of the severe injuries he suffered after his forklift truck collided with another vehicle of the same make in a narrow aisle of Regatta’s warehouse on Mercury Way.

The cab fell nearly 30 feet and Ward suffered severe injuries. He died later in hospital as a result of his injuries.

Regatta has also been fined ordered to pay £64,000 in costs after pleading guilty at Manchester Crown Court to breaching health and safety laws.

Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council investigations found the company did not have a safe system of work in place to prevent trucks colliding when operating in narrow aisles, and that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment had not been undertaken.

This was despite previous incidents of vehicle collisions at the premises, and the company being given warnings and formal legal notices from the council’s environmental health officers relating to the need to improve traffic management at the site.

Trafford MBC’s head of public protection, Iain Veitch, said: “Padraig Ward’s death could have been prevented if Regatta Limited had put in place safe systems of work, and carried out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, with regard to workplace transport.

“There was evidence that the company was aware of their duty to manage the safe operation of vehicles but they failed to take appropriate action in this case.

“Companies must ensure they take these risks seriously as every year around 50 people are killed in accidents involving workplace transport and there are over 1,900 major injuries.”