Livingston Sheriff Court heard a SIG Trading Ltd driver was moving a large metal coil with a forklift truck inside the company’s warehouse on Houston Industrial Estate.

The driver was unaware two other employees were in the warehouse but as he drove the truck forward a colleague shouted at him to reverse.

But he had already hit one of the workers knocking him to the ground and ran him over again as he drove backwards.

The injured man needed major surgery after the 31 March 2010 incident, including six pins and two steel plates in his shin, and screws in his ankle and toes.  He is left with a permanent limp, scarring and constant pain.

A Health and Safety Executive investigation revealed no arrangements were in place in the warehouse to keep pedestrians and vehicles apart and employees had not received training on transport issues.

Simple measures like issuing high-visibility garments for use in the warehouse had not been carried out.

HSE inspector Matthew Ramsey said: “After the incident, corrective measures including barriers, walkways and high-visibility garments were put in place and employees received training.

“The total cost of these simple measures was less than £4,500 but unfortunately they came too late for the injured man in this case.”

SIG Trading Limited, of Hillsborough Works, Langsett Road,Sheffield, pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £36,000.