TELFORD, UNITED KINGDOM — City Electrical Factors Limited was fined £4 million on 16 October 2026 following a forklift loading incident that seriously injured an employee in Telford. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported the outcome that day; the incident itself occurred on 4 October 2024.
Unsecured switchboard load fell during loading
The employee was acting as a spotter while a forklift moved switchboard equipment onto a flatbed lorry at the company’s Proteus Switchgear Industrial Division. According to HSE, the 231kg load was unsecured and fell onto him, leaving him with lasting injuries requiring continuous care.
Investigators found no suitable risk assessment or lift plan. HSE said the operation had not been properly planned, supervised or supported by adequate instructions, despite being a routine task. Available anchor points could have secured the load, and lifting eyes offered an alternative using the lorry-mounted crane.
Guilty plea and court outcome
The company admitted breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Birmingham Magistrates’ Court imposed the fine and £6,304 in costs. These are court-imposed amounts, rather than proposed penalties.
Why the findings matter for loading work
HSEBlog analysis: The case concerns the design of the lifting method as well as the equipment chosen. Asking a person to steady a load does not resolve the hazard created by an unsecured load. Reviews of comparable work should examine attachment points, exclusion areas, supervision and whether the selected machine suits the lift.
Related background: forklift loading and unloading procedures and planning safe lifting operations.
Sources: HSE prosecution announcement, 16 October 2026; Shropshire Live, 17 October 2026. Featured artwork is an editorial illustration, not an incident photograph.
Source
Health and Safety Executivepress.hse.gov.uk