A worker died after being struck by a reversing telehandler while he was crossing a work yard in Horley, East Sussex.Brighton Magistrates’ Court was told how, on 7 July 2016, the employee of United Grab Hire Ltd sustained multiple injuries and later died in hospital.
The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) investigation found:
United Grab Hire Ltd of Rivington Farm, Horley, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 4 (1) and 17 (1) of the Workplace (Health and Safety Welfare) Regulations 1992.
The company was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,968.42.
Director Mark Howard, also of Rivington Farm, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company director was sentenced to a six months custodial sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community service.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Russell Beckett said: “This was a wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company and its director to take simple steps.
“Vehicle movements cause numerous serious injuries and deaths in the waste and recycling sector and in this case, were not controlled even at a basic level at this company’s site.
“The company failed to have adequate pedestrian segregation measures such as walkways or crossing points in areas where pedestrians walked routinely. Reversing of large vehicles near to pedestrians was commonplace. This was a dangerous mix which led to this tragic incident involving a much-loved husband, father and grandfather losing his life.”
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Hmm why was the Tele handler operator not prosecuted as well? He should have known he was not trained and therefore not competent to operate the vehicle.