The injuries sustained included a fractured skull and spinal injuries after the 49-year-old employee fell from a ramp while loading a shipping container with sacks of peas.

The employer was fined £8,000 with £4,642 costs, at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court, after a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act, 1974.

The HSE investigation found that the company had failed to take sufficient steps to ensure the risks associated with work at height were identified and controlled.

Commenting after the case an Inspector from the Health & Safety Executive said:

"If this employer had taken precautions to ensure his safety, this incident could have been avoided.

Working at height remains one of the most dangerous things employees can do. This case highlights the need for companies to do everything possible to minimise the risks employees face when working at height."