A negligent Scots firm who failed to implement safety measures and instead expected staff to "get on with it" has been fined nearly £100,000 when a woman was killed by a reversing truck.
Karen Allen, 61, was working at a fish processing company based at Blacksness Pier, Scalloway, Shetland, on January 31 2018 when she was run over by a reversing forklift truck after binning a bag of rubbish.
She tragically passed away weeks later, on February 22 - which prompted the company to belatedly introduce health and safety management.
Housekeeper Mrs Allen had heard the reversing alarm and shouted but was unable to get out of the path of the forklift, which struck her leg and dragged her under.
A joint investigation by Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive found the firm failed to implement a health and safety management system, and it was slammed for having "no corporate responsibility" and putting staff at "unacceptable risk".
Systems and methods of work were established informally by individual employees without formal direction or guidance from senior management, and employees were instead left to "get on with it" and expected to use common sense.
There was no risk assessment in place for pedestrians using the same area the forklift was operating in, no visible barriers to separate these areas, and no requirement for employees to wear high visibility clothing when working outside.
Formal, documented systems of work for pedestrian and forklift truck operations did not exist.
QA Fish Ltd admitted to health and safety breaches committed between January 6 2014 and January 31 2018 at Lerwick Sheriff Court on May 25.
Alistair Duncan, Head of the Health and Safety Investigation Unit of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: "The tragic death of Karen Allan could have been avoided had QA Fish Ltd put in place a health and safety management system.
"There was no corporate responsibility for health and safety and a failure to consider over a reasonable period which put their employees at unacceptable risk.
"This prosecution should remind other employers that failing to keep their employees safe can have fatal consequences and they will be held accountable for this failure.
"Our thoughts are with Mrs Allan's family who must live with the consequences of the failings of QA Fish Ltd."
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