Jaguar Land Rover fined £900,000 after worker injured

19 Jan 2017 07:08 PM

National car manufacturer Jaguar Landover has been fined after a worker lost their leg following a car accident.

Birmingham Crown Court heard that on Sunday 8 February 2015 at Jaguar’s Lode Lane plant in Solihull, a Range Rover Sport vehicle was driven toward the start of the production line, an event that normally happens 48 times an hour. On this occasion the delivery driver lost control of the car and collided with the rear of another vehicle he had just delivered, causing a 4 car shunt.

At the same time a worker was crossing the production line and became trapped between the second and third cars. His injuries resulted in amputation of his right leg above the knee. Two other employees also suffered minor injuries.

The investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company had failed to ensure that the driver of the Range Rover, who was covering the shift, was familiar with procedures. They had also failed to properly separate the workers on the production line from the moving vehicles.

Jaguar Land Rover, were found guilty of breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and fined £900,000 and ordered to pay costs of £49,800.

HSE inspector John Glynn said: “A worker has been left with life changing injuries that were completely avoidable, it was only good fortune that prevented this from being a fatal accident. Jaguar Land Rover knew the risks of driving vehicles onto production lines and the possibility of shunt accidents, but failed to protect their workers.”

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
  2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ link to external website
  3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk