A CONTAINER company has been fined more than £253,000 after a worker suffered life changing injuries.

London Container Terminal Limited (LCT) has been fined after a worker was seriously injured when the container carrier he was driving overturned at Tilbury Docks.

The worker suffered the injuries to his head and the wound required 29 staples to close and he continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

London Container Terminal Limited of Northfleet Hope House, Tilbury Docks, Tilbury pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2(1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and has been fined £180,000 and ordered to pay costs of £73,296.

The container company ceased trading in December and was taken over by Forth Ports, the owner of the Port of Tilbury Limited.

The incident took place in November 2014.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the precautions taken by LCT were wholly inadequate to prevent the vehicle from being able to enter the excavation.

Basildon Crown Court heard that on 16 November 2014 a worker inadvertently drove his carrier, known as a straddle, into a large excavation at the docks.

The court was told that looking down from his cab, the driver did not see the road cones, small flashing lights or the ticker tape around the excavation because it was dark and the weather conditions were poor.

The straddle carrier, a vehicle used in the port terminal for stacking and moving freight shipping containers, toppled over.

The court heard that all of the straddle carrier drivers working in the vicinity of the excavation had been exposed to the risk for several days during the course of the excavation works.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Nicola Jaynes said: “This was a serious incident and that could have been much worse.

This was preventable if LCT had the correct safety precautions in place. This case serves as a reminder that suitable precautions are required to protect both pedestrians and vehicles from entering excavations.”

A spokesman from Fort Ports said: “London Container Terminal accepts the decision of Basildon Court this week.

"As a company we take our responsibilities towards health and safety extremely seriously and will continue to work with all those involved at the terminal to promote a safe working environment.”