Antrim Crown Court was told on 12 June that the incident happened because the injured man had stopped to offer his assistance to the retailer whose forklift truck had become trapped during the unloading of fertiliser bags from a flatbed delivery lorry.
A joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) found that Richard Boyland, trading as North Antrim Potatoes, was using the lorry to tow the forklift from a grass verge onto the public road when the incident happened on 13 February 2017.
As Boyland was operating the lorry, he struck the man who sustained serious and life-changing injuries to his right leg after it became trapped between both vehicles.
The investigation found Boyland had failed to ensure the safety of somebody who was not an employee but was a member of the public. He had also failed to complete any approved training for operating forklift trucks.
HSENI inspector Kyle Carrick said: "When deliveries and collections are made, loading and unloading areas should be in designated places with sufficient space, clear of passing traffic, pedestrians and other people who are not involved in loading and unloading.
"Members of the public are unlikely to be familiar with workplace hazards and should always be kept separate form hazardous work activities."