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A manufacturing firm has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive for not creating a sufficient separation area between pedestrian workers and fork lift trucks at its site in Dorset.
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A manufacturing firm has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive for not creating a sufficient separation area between pedestrian workers and fork lift trucks at its site in Dorset.
On 9 March 2010 a worker at the company had both his legs and ankles broken when a fork lift truck reversed into him.
The company, Verplas Ltd., had failed to provide a safe zone of adequate size for pedestrians in the area in which the fork lift trucks were being operated. Health and Safety protocol dictates that significant measures be taken to ensure the safety of pedestrians and prevent the potential for accidents with fork lift trucks at the place of work.
In situations where employees are not warned of these kinds of dangers or are not provided with sufficient space and distance from the working area where the trucks operate, the risk level for these kind of accidents increases greatly. An effective risk assessment policy or driver safety programme could well have prevented the likelihood of the accident ever taking place.
A HSE investigation was conducted as a result of this accident and the Inspector presiding over the case stated "Even though Mr. Davey (the victim) was very experienced, this potentially career-ending injury still occurred. "
The message is that if firms have limited space they still have to organise their operation so that they don't have conflicting activities going on in the same place.
To conclude he advised "Pedestrians and fork lift trucks don't mix."
Initially it was assumed the victim, 61 would not be able to resume his working duties as a result of the severity of his injuries but he has since completed his rehabilitation and has returned to his job at the plant.
However Bournemouth Magistrates' Court did fine the company £10,000 plus costs of £2407 for breaches to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The company, which manufactures ventilation accessories pleaded guilty to the charges, accepted full responsibility for the accident and stated it would implement all necessary changes to ensure such an incident would not reoccur in the future.
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Contact Information
Katie Brown
SMPR (Simply Marcomms Ltd)
18 Generator Hall
Coventry
CV1 4JL
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