Watch: Waste worker 'lucky to be alive' after being run over on first day

A waste worker is fortunate to be alive after being involved in a serious on-the-job accident at Wheeldon Brothers Waste Limited in England. 

What happened to the worker?

Local perspective:

During his first day on the job on July 28, 2021, the then-40-year-old man was hand-picking waste when he was struck from behind by a moving shovel loader at the waste and recycling company in England. 

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation and said in a release on April 2, 2025, that the digger drove over the man and had to reverse when the alarm was raised by coworkers in the area. 

A waste worker was run over on his first day on the job at a waste and recycling company in England. (Credit: Health and Safety Executive via Storyful)

HSE released footage of the 2021 accident earlier this month. After the hearing, HSE principal inspector Lisa Bailey said, "This man is lucky to be alive."

CCTV video captured the shocking incident as it happened. 

According to the HSE, the man, who is 44 years old now, suffered a bone fracture, and muscle and nerve damage to his leg in the incident. He was in the hospital for a week because of his injuries and later found a job with another organization. 

HSE noted that the company was fined for the work-related accident.