Man was run over by a forklift on his first day at work (3 photos + 1 video)

30 May 2025

CCTV captured the moment a bucket loader ran over a worker at a waste recycling site. The 40-year-old man nearly lost his life.

The incident occurred at a landfill in Oldham, UK, in July 2021. On his first day at work, the man was sorting waste by hand because the conveyor belt had been destroyed in a fire a few months earlier. The forklift driver failed to notice his colleague and drove over him.

The victim spent a week in hospital with a broken leg. The man has since found work at another company.

Waste and recycling company Wheeldon Brothers Waste Limited has been fined £250,000 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

HSE Chief Inspector Lisa Bailey said: "It's a miracle the man survived. Vehicles such as forklifts require more space due to blind spots and poor visibility. This incident could have been avoided if precautions had been taken."

An investigation found the work was not properly supervised and no risk assessment had been carried out.

Wheeldon Brothers Waste Limited, of Bury, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws and was ordered to pay £4,102.32 in costs in addition to a £250,000 fine.

Bailey added: "It was necessary to ensure that workers working in the yard were safe from potential risks associated with traffic."

A safety bulletin was issued at the site with specific guidance on the use of bucket loaders.