UK Platforms Ltd admitted breaching working at height regulations following the incident at the company’s depot in Halesfield, Telford.

Telford Magistrates’ Court heard how the 42-year-old victim was standing on the cherry picker’s engine canopy to repair the mechanical arm when he fell two metres, landing on a concrete floor.

He suffered a compression fracture to his skull, which caused bleeding on his brain, and fractured four vertebrae, four ribs and his collarbone.

He was in hospital for nearly two weeks and has not been able to return to work since the incident on March 28 2011.

An investigation found that UK Platforms had failed to plan or supervise the work properly and there was no protection to stop the man from falling from the machine.

The Telford firm pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £5,888 costs.

HSE inspector Katharine Walker said after the hearing: “It is unacceptable to see such failings, particularly as UK Platforms hires out access equipment for working safely at height and therefore should have known how to carry out this job.”