Worker dragged under by reversing forklift

On 16 April 2013, a full time employee of Waste Away Skip Hire (Liverpool) Ltd, was struck by a reversing fork lift truck and dragged under a rear wheel whilst he was picking through waste materials causing severe crush injuries to his leg and chest.

A safe system of work was not in place, and a risk assessment had not been carried which should have identified the need to segregate pedestrians and vehicles within the workplace. The fork lift truck did not have any audible warning siren or beacon for reversing or wing mirrors and the rear window of the machine was dirty except for the area covered by wipers. The truck had not been subject to a thorough examination by a competent person as per the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 within the previous 12 months.

The employee suffered serious injuries including broken ribs, a snapped pelvis, a punctured lung and the removal of his spleen as a result of the accident.

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Waste Away Skip Hire (Liverpool) Limited of Canada Dock Railway Sidings, Regent Road, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £14,000 plus £1791.50 costs and a victim surcharge of £120.

Leanne Koo, Director of the company, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £1,000 plus £387.50 costs and a victim surcharge of £120.

More information about maintaining machinery safely can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm.