Archive for the 'Fork lift trucks' Category

Published in Truckstop News - August 2008.

In this month’s issue Steven Hinchliffe of the specialist Personal Injury firm Hinchliffes Solicitors considers the “DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH FORKLIFT TRUCKS”.

The Health and Safety Executive estimates that each year there are around 8,000 forklift truck (”FLT”) accidents resulting in injury, about 10 of which are fatal.  Inadequate training appears to be a significant cause of these accidents, but other issues such as operator error, unsuitable premises, poor layout and design of the FLT operating areas, and poor maintenance are also contributory factors.

A firm has been prosecuted after a work accident in which one of its workers died.  The accident happened in January 2005 when a 60-year-old employee was crushed.

A forklift truck had been going round a corner when its driver performed an emergency stop in order to avoid hitting a staff member.  Due to the sudden braking, a steel coil situated on the forks became dislodged and fell on top of the man, pinning him to the ground.  He later died from his injuries.

As a result of this accident at work IP, a firm which is located in Uxbridge, was given a fine of £50,000 and ordered to pay £6,000 in costs at a hearing at Leeds Crown Court.  The company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.

Insurers for employers are recommending more staff training as part of a safety campaign to help prevent transport accidents in the workplace.

Figures provided by the Health and Safety Executive indicate that one quarter of all workplace transport incidents involve forklift trucks, and it is felt that additional training could help prevent a work accident from occurring.  In the event of an accident, if injuries are sustained, this could result in claims for personal injury compensation.

In the workplace forklift trucks can be particularly dangerous and can result in accidents involving workers being struck or run over, or being hit by something that has fallen from the vehicle.  Other accidents can happen when workers themselves fall from the vehicle, or when it is overturned.