Manufacturing fine shows workforce planning has to include training, supervision and safe cover

A Worcestershire manufacturing company has been fined after a worker suffered serious injuries during a lifting operation, underlining why workforce planning is not just about filling shifts.

The Health and Safety Executive reported that The Micro Spring and Presswork Company Limited was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £5,032 in costs at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on 25 August 2026. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The case followed an incident at the company's Redditch site on 24 June 2024. A 36-year-old employee fractured twelve ribs after a newly purchased pillar drill, weighing about 500kg, became unstable during a forklift lifting operation and fell onto him.

HSE said its investigation found the company had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the lifting operation. Inspectors also found the lifting operation had not been properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out safely.

For employers in manufacturing, warehouse, logistics and industrial office environments, the lesson is immediate: labour supply, shift cover and operational speed cannot be separated from competence, supervision and records.

A rushed staffing decision can look cheap until a task needs trained people, documented process and a manager who knows exactly who is authorised to do what.

Why it matters

The case is a reminder that workforce risk is not limited to whether a role is filled. It includes whether the right person is doing the right task with the right induction, training record, supervision and escalation route.

When employers are dealing with sickness absence, holiday cover, production deadlines or urgent one-off tasks, the temptation is to move quickly and make do with whoever is available. That is exactly where workforce planning has to be disciplined.

Temporary, temp-to-perm and permanent hiring can all work well, but only when the labour route is matched to the job risk. For lifting operations, machinery, warehouse movement, production lines, maintenance support and industrial administration, employers need clear role definitions, safe onboarding and properly documented competence.

Practical takeaway

Manufacturing and logistics employers should review three areas after this case:

• whether forklift, lifting, machinery and warehouse duties are restricted to people with confirmed competence
• whether temporary and agency workers receive the same site-specific safety briefings as permanent staff
• whether supervisors know when a task needs a documented plan rather than informal help
• whether staffing gaps are creating pressure to use untrained people in higher-risk tasks
• whether PAYE temporary worker payroll, worker records and assignment details are clean enough to evidence who was supplied, when and for what role

Good recruitment is not just a CV match. It is a controlled workforce plan that protects output, compliance and people.

V3 Recruitment can help employers source temporary, temp-to-perm and permanent staff for manufacturing, warehouse, logistics and office roles, while supporting compliant worker records and PAYE temporary worker payroll routes.

For support, contact V3 Recruitment on 02392 361 115 or hello@v3recruitment.com.