MA Forshaw
M.A. Forshaw Limited, a company involved in fruit and vegetable production, was fined £320,000 after a tragic workplace accident that resulted in the death of a worker.
On January 3, 2020, Francis Schlachter, known as Frank, a 64-year-old man from Southport, suffered severe head injuries when he fell from a skip at a farm operated by M.A. Forshaw Limited in Burscough. Frank was tipping food waste into a skip from a container attached to a forklift truck (FLT). The container could not be securely attached to the FLT, and as Frank attempted to manually assist in the operation, he was standing on top of the skip when the container slipped from the FLT, causing him to fall to the ground.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that M.A. Forshaw Limited had not fully assessed the risks involved in this daily task. The company failed to maintain equipment in safe working order and to properly instruct staff in safe working practices. As a result, the company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £320,000 and ordered to pay £4,574 in costs12.
Frank’s wife, Linda, described him as a “gentleman through and through” and said that his death had left a significant impact on their family. HSE inspector Lianne Farrington stated that the incident was “wholly avoidable” and was caused by the company’s failure to implement safe systems of work and properly maintain work equipment.