Food wholesaler Osprey Foods has been fined £66,000 after an employee was injured while loading a lorry, resulting in the employee having to have his leg amputated.

The worker was loading an HGV using a pallet truck at Osprey Foods Limited, in Holt, Norfolk on 5th July 2023.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that the HGV pulled away while the man was still inside the trailer, causing both him and the pallet truck to fall between the loading dock and the rear of the vehicle. HSE also reported that the injuries he sustained were so severe his leg had to be amputated.

An investigation by HSE found that Osprey Foods had not taken appropriate measures to control vehicle movements on their site.

The traffic light system, which was used to tell the HGV drivers when it was safe to move their vehicles, had broken several weeks prior to the incident and had not been repaired. The traffic light remained green during the loading process, meaning that the driver pulled away thinking it was safe to do so. He was unaware that the man was still in the back of the vehicle.

“A simple repair to a traffic light system has resulted in a worker suffering life-changing injuries.”

Osprey Foods pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2 (1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £66,000 and ordered to pay £5,850 in costs at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 20th June 2025.

HSE inspector Natalie Prince said: “Every year, a significant number of incidents, many of them serious and sometimes fatal, occur as a result of failure to manage vehicles moving around safely.

“In this case, a simple repair to a traffic light system has resulted in a worker suffering life-changing injuries.”

An Osprey Foods Ltd spokesperson said: “Osprey Foods is deeply regretful of the incident that occurred in July 2023 and our sympathies and thoughts remain with our valued colleague. After a company evaluation into the incident, Osprey Foods has improved the safety of the site and measures include implementing new safeguarding systems, carrying out more extensive staff training and reinforcing operational procedures.

“The safety of Osprey Foods’ dedicated staff is at the forefront of the health and safety policies and remains a paramount priority. Everyone at Osprey Foods is looking forward to welcoming our colleague back to the business in the near future.”