A manufacturer of paper packaging has been fined after a worker suffered a severe skull fracture and permanent injuries when a 4.5-ton machine fell on him.
Matthew King was working for Multi Packaging Solutions UK Limited at its East Kilbride site on 31 October 2023 when he was struck on the head whilst working underneath the machine.
The 39-year-old sustained a severe skull fracture, bruising to his head and nerve damage to the left side of his face. He has been left with permanent double vision, loss of peripheral vision, facial palsy and hearing loss. He is unable to drive and has required multiple surgeries and ongoing mental health support.
Mr King was part of a team relocating the machine from a warehouse to a storage area approximately 160 metres away. The machine, which weighed approximately 4.5 tons and measured 1.56 by 4.15 metres, had no lifting or anchoring points.
Workers had improvised a system involving lifting the machine with a forklift, placing skates underneath, and pulling it forward. The machine had already slid off the forks on at least two occasions before the incident.
At the time of the accident, Mr King was positioned underneath the suspended machine to secure a wheel on its underside when it slid from the forks and struck him on the head.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the lifting operation had not been properly planned by a competent person. The characteristics of the load, including its weight, size, centre of gravity and lifting points, had not been adequately assessed, and no safe system of work had been put in place.
Moving a machine of this size and weight was not a regular task at the site and there was no established system of work for it.
HSE guidance on planning and organising lifting operations states that it is important to properly resource, plan and organise lifting operations so they are carried out in a safe manner.
Multi Packaging Solutions UK Limited of Phoenix Centre, 1 Westrock Millennium Way West, Nottingham, NG8 6AW pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1)(a) and (c) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £433,333 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £32,500 at Hamilton Sheriff Court on 20 January 2026.
HSE inspector, Ingrid Grueso, said: “This incident was entirely preventable. The company failed to properly plan the lifting operation or implement a safe system of work.
“Mr King has been left with life-changing injuries including permanent damage to his eyesight, hearing and facial movement. He has had to sell his car as he can no longer drive safely and now relies on his wife to transport him and their three children.
“Employers must ensure that lifting operations are properly planned by a competent person and carried out safely. This is especially important for non-routine tasks involving heavy or awkward loads.”
Further Information
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
- More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
- Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
- Relevant guidance can be found here Planning and organising lifting operations – HSE
- HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed.
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