Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates Court heard how, on 2 February 2016, an employee at Instrument and Control Services Ltd was injured when a top heavy 650-750kg electrical control panel which he was moving fell, trapping him to the ground.

He suffered life changing injuries including a fracture that split the left and right side of his lower pelvis apart.

An HSE investigation found that Instrument and Control Services Ltd failed to properly assess the risks involved and to provide both a safe system of work and the proper instructions and training needed for moving the panel.

Instrument and Control Services Ltd of Stoke-on-Trent pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £60,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £2923.62 and a victim surcharge of £120.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Marie-Louise Riley-Roberts said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to assess risk and to devise safe methods of working which their employees should then be trained in.

“If Instrument and Control Services Ltd had ensured that their employees were following to a safe system of work, based upon proper planning, then the life changing injuries sustained by this worker could have been prevented”.