A Stoke on Trent firm has been fined £20,000 by North Staffordshire magistrates after two workers were seriously injured on site.

Two employees at vehicle body manufacturing company Commercial Body Specialists were crushed between a moving vehicle and stationary vehicles when a colleague was attempting to manoeuvre an 18-tonne vehicle in the workshop.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the company had failed to identify and assess workplace transport risks and had failed to put in place protective measures, safe systems of work and proper instruction and training to ensure employee pedestrian safety during vehicle movement.

One worker suffered several fractures to his pelvis and ribs as well as internal bladder and kidney lacerations. The other worker suffered crush injuries to his legs during the incident that took place on January 12, 2015. A third employee managed to jump out of the way.  

The firm based in Tunstall, Stoke on Trent, pleaded guilty at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and was ordered to pay costs of £4,461 in addition to the fine.