HSE Reminds Employers to Follow Guidelines for Vehicle Circulation
A recent case before Lincoln Magistrates’ Court, where Dairy Farmers of Britain Ltd was fined, has prompted the HSE to issue a renewed warning for the employers to make arrangements for safe and proper circulation of vehicles at work.
The said employers were found in violation of Regulations of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) specifically of Regulation 12(1) and 17(1). They pleaded guilty and were fined to the tune of £10,000 and asked to pay costs of £2,916.
A collision between a forklift truck and a pallet truck at the company work site in mid-2008 left one of the drivers, Mr. John Reader, injured with multiple fractures in the right leg. He was brought to
HSE Inspector, Scott Wynne pointed out that the accident was foreseeable and avoidable only if the workplace was organised in a better way and the circulation of the vehicles was made safer. He also suggested that companies, especially those using forklift trucks along with pedestrian workers should make a risk assessment and undertake suitable measures of safety following the HSE guidelines.
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