A HAULAGE firm has been fined after a worker suffered a fractured skull as he tried to recover a 17-tonne abandoned excavator.

Paul Collins, 51, of Walsham-le-Willows, had been working for Tannington Transport for three months when he was hit on the head by a heavy-duty vehicle jack when it “popped” out of position.

He returned to work ten weeks after he was hurt.

The Woodbridge firm was prosecuted for a serious safety breach by the Health and Safety Executive after the incident on September 8 last year.

Last Tuesday, Ipswich Magistrates’ Court heard that Tannington Transport failed to consider the potential risks or provide a plan to recover the excavator safely.

The firm pleaded guilty and was fined �6,000 and ordered to pay �3,291 costs.

Inspector Anthony Brookes said: “This incident could so easily have been prevented if the company had chosen to act on its duty of care toward the recovery team as it set off to carry out a non-routine and very hazardous task.”