The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the coach builders following the incident. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of its employees and was subsequently fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £18,315 towards the cost of the prosecution at Manchester Crown Court.

The court heard that a worker was helping to move a stack of 6.7 metre-long metal strips onto a trailer when the incident happened. The stack and lifting beam, weighing a total of 2.2 tonnes, fell onto him from the forks of a forklift truck.

The worker broke his back in four places, 12 ribs and a shoulder blade, punctured a lung, bruised his heart and suffered stomach injuries.

HSE Inspector Richard Clarke said:

"A worker was seriously injured because the company did not do enough to protect the safety of its employees. The worker is still in constant pain and the incident could have killed him.

The company regularly requires its employees to unload long stacks of metal strips, which are used to build the trailers for lorries. But, at the time of the incident, it did not provide suitable training or written guidance for its staff to handle long loads.

Manufacturing companies can be dangerous places to work if the risks are not properly managed. It's vital that good health and safety measures are put in place to prevent workers from being injured."