South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court

A Suffolk truck dealership has been fined thousands of pounds after the cab of one of its vehicles fell on an employee.

Orwell Trucks technician Trevor Muffett was carrying out a routine check when the incident happened.

A metal prop holding up the cab collapsed and it fell on him, breaking two ribs.

The 60-year-old was trapped for 10 minutes and after being rescued needed medical attention. He was off work for six weeks as a result of his injuries.

Orwell Trucks, which trades as Orwell Truck and Van and is based in Betts Avenue in Martlesham, pleaded guilty at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court today to breaching section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The company was fined £4,500 and ordered to pay costs of £2,726.

Ivan Brooke, an inspector for the Health and safety Executive said: “Trevor Muffett’s injury could have been foreseen and prevented. And it all could have been much worse: there are cases of people having been killed by falling vehicle cabs.”

He added: “HSE will not hesitate to take companies, big or small, to court when they fail to behave responsibly and so expose their workers to risk.”