£1.2m fine after driver fatally crushed

(Image: A good example of how to control walkways in forklift traffic areas)

National manufacturer and supplier of fitted kitchens, appliances and joinery products, Howden Joinery Ltd, has been fined £1.2 million after the death of a visiting HGV driver at one of its premises.

Richard Brown, an agency driver, was delivering kitchen worktops to a Howden Joinery Ltd site in Workington when he was crushed to death as a forklift truck (FLT) overturned whilst lifting kitchen worktops from the trailer of the HGV.

An investigation into the incident, which happened on 10 November 2014, found the FLT had been overloaded. Visiting delivery drivers were not kept at a safe distance from the loading and unloading operations.

People in harm’s way

Howden Joinery Ltd of Portman Square, London pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The company was fined £1.2 million and ordered to pay costs of £33,902.00.

Speaking after the hearing Health and Safety Executive inspector Steven Boyd said: “Standing too close to where loading or unloading work is being carried out can put people in harm’s way so people, such as delivery drivers, should be in a position of safety when forklift trucks are operating.

“This tragic incident could have been avoided if Howden Joinery Ltd had implemented a safe procedure to ensure that pedestrians were kept at a safe distance during loading and unloading work.

“Duty holders should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Approaches to managing the risks associated Musculoskeletal disorders

In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, we hear from Matt Birtles, Principal Ergonomics Consultant at HSE’s Science and Research Centre, about the different approaches to managing the risks associated with Musculoskeletal disorders.

Matt, an ergonomics and human factors expert, shares his thoughts on why MSDs are important, the various prevalent rates across the UK, what you can do within your own organisation and the Risk Management process surrounding MSD’s.

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