A Yorkshire goat farming company has been ordered to pay out £200,000 after a farm worker was run over and fatally wounded.
Yorkshire Dairy Goats has been fined for safety breaches following the incident, which happened in August 2018.
Hull Crown Court heard that 53-year-old Janet McDonald was struck by a reversing telehandler whilst working at St Helen’s Farm in York.
She was seriously injured and air-lifted to Hull Royal Infirmary where she died later that day.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that when the employee had finished milking the goats, she walked through a corridor and stepped out into the path of the reversing telehandler.
The driver was unable to see the worker so could not take action, and she was struck by the vehicle.
Yorkshire Dairy Goats of Seaton Ross, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The company has been fined £180,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Sarah Taylor said: “Pedestrians and vehicles need to be kept apart at all work sites and this includes agriculture.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply segregating vehicles and pedestrians.”
