Chemical Logistics Company Fined After Worker Dies in Loading Ramp Fall

A chemical logistics company has been fined after a warehouse supervisor suffered fatal injuries following a fall from a mobile loading ramp. 

Bertschi UK Limited has been fined £425,000 after Peter Hutchinson, aged 60, died following an accident at the company’s Middlesbrough site. 

Mr Hutchinson had worked for the company since around 2009 and was employed as a warehouse supervisor. On 4 November 2021, he was helping to load plastic waste bales into a shipping container when the incident happened. 

During the loading operation, a plastic bale slipped from the forklift truck being used to load the container. Mr Hutchinson stepped backwards and fell approximately 1.5 metres from the mobile loading ramp onto the concrete floor below. He suffered serious injuries and died in hospital on 23 November 2021. 

Following a trial at Teesside Crown Court in April 2026, Bertschi UK Limited was found guilty of breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and two regulations under the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £425,000 and ordered to pay £119,258 in costs at a hearing on 17 July 2026. 

HSE investigation found failings in planning and fall protection  

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the UK government body responsible for regulating workplace health and safety and enforcing health and safety law, found that Bertschi UK Limited had failed to properly assess the risks connected with the loading operation. 

The HSE found that the company had not adequately considered and controlled the risks arising from pedestrians using mobile loading ramps. Employees were permitted to access the ramps without handrails, despite the ramp manufacturer advising that pedestrians should not use the ramp unless handrails were fitted. 

The investigation also found that the company had not sufficiently considered reasonably practicable alternatives that could have avoided work at height altogether, such as using existing loading bays or placing containers on the ground before loading. 

Following the prosecution, HSE Inspector Cain Mitchell said the death was entirely preventable and that the company had failed to ensure the work was properly planned and carried out safely.

Falls from height do not need to be from a great height to be fatal 

This case is a tragic reminder that a fall from height does not need to involve a roof, scaffold or ladder to have devastating consequences. A fall of around 1.5 metres can still cause fatal injuries, particularly where a worker falls onto a hard surface. 

In busy logistics, warehouse and loading environments, ramps, forklifts, containers and moving loads can create serious risks if the task has not been properly planned. Employers need to think carefully about how workers will move around the area, whether loads could move unexpectedly, and whether there are safer ways to carry out the work. 

Where working at height cannot be avoided, suitable measures should be in place to prevent falls and protect workers from injury. 

Employer duties around loading operations and work at height 

Employers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to protect employees from injury at work. Where loading operations involve mobile ramps or any form of work at height, the risks should be properly assessed before the task begins. 

That includes considering whether the work can be carried out from ground level, whether suitable loading bays are available, whether handrails or other fall protection are needed, and how pedestrians will be kept safe while vehicles, forklifts or moving loads are in use. 

An accident at work may give rise to a claim where an injury was caused by poor planning, unsafe systems of work, missing fall protection, inadequate risk assessments, poor supervision or a failure to follow manufacturer guidance. 

Can a claim be made after a fatal accident at work?  

Where someone has died as a result of an accident at work, their family may be able to seek legal advice about whether a claim can be made. 

A fatal accident claim may help eligible family members seek compensation for the loss of their loved one and the financial or practical impact of the death. The exact position will depend on the circumstances of the accident, the relationship between the family member and the person who died, and the evidence available. 

These claims can be complex and emotionally difficult, especially where an HSE investigation, trial or prosecution has taken place. A specialist solicitor can explain the options clearly and help the family understand whether there may be a claim.

How long do you have to make a personal injury claim?  

There are time limits for bringing a personal injury claim, so it is important to seek advice as soon as possible. 

In most cases, an adult has three years from the date of the accident to begin a personal injury claim. If the injured person was under 18 at the time of the accident, the usual three-year period generally starts on their 18th birthday. 

In fatal accident cases, different time limit rules may apply depending on the circumstances, including the date of death and who is bringing the claim. It is therefore important for families to seek legal advice as early as possible. 

Every case depends on its own facts, but if an accident was caused by unsafe working practices or an employer’s failure to protect a worker, it may be worth getting advice.

What evidence may be relevant after a fatal workplace accident?

After a serious or fatal workplace accident, there may already be an investigation by the HSE, police, coroner or another authority. Families may also have documents from the employer, medical professionals or others involved after the incident. 

Relevant evidence may include accident reports, witness details, photographs, risk assessments, training records, maintenance documents, manufacturer guidance, correspondence and any findings from an HSE investigation or prosecution. 

A solicitor can help identify what evidence is needed and how it may support a claim.

Premier Legal Assist can help 

If a loved one has died in an accident at work, you don’t have to face the next steps alone. If the case is eligible, with our help, you can seek advice about whether a no-win, no-fee claim may be possible. 

Premier Legal Assist can connect you with a team of specialist personal injury lawyers who handle accident at work claims, including serious and fatal workplace accident cases. 

To find out if you are eligible to make a no-win, no-fee claim, complete our short form, and a team member will be in touch.