Agency worker crushed when unchaining vehicle ramp from delivery lorry

Southend Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 14 December 2015, an agency worker was unchaining a vehicle ramp from a delivery lorry when the lorry moved forward with one chain still attached to the ramp, crushing the worker between the ramp and a barrier.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found the company failed to fully control the risks arising from the operation of vehicle loading and unloading ramps. The company did not implement suitably robust systems of work; did not provide sufficient training to allow workers to safely unload vehicles; and did not appropriately brief visiting drivers on their role in this activity.

ERIKS Industrial Services Limited of Amber Way, Halesowen, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and has been fined £373,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,333.

Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Tim Underwood said: “This incident could have been avoided if the company had created a more detailed risk assessment and introduced a fully considered safe system of work. Removing the visiting lorry driver’s keys until the procedure was safely completed, is one such method which could have prevented such an occurrence.

“Companies have a responsibility to provide sufficient information, instruction and training to all those involved in workplace transport operations (including visiting delivery drivers), in order to control the risk of serious personal injury.”