Haulage firm fined after worker crushed

A haulage firm has been fined after a load from the top of a double-decked trailer fell onto a worker.

Warwick Crown Court heard that an employee of Maxi Haulage was injured at a site in Cape Road Warwick, when a piece of metal ducting, six metres long and weighing 28kg, fell from the top deck of the trailer, hitting him on his head.

The blow caused serious, life changing injuries, including a fractured skull.

The Health and Safety Executive’s investigation into the incident in February 2015 found that the site had not implemented systems and procedures for unloading of trailers at depots, produced by Maxi Haulage.

It also found employees were not properly informed about pedestrian and vehicle segregation rules, and little was done about the work not being followed.

Easily avoidable

Maxi Haulage, of Elliott House, Kilwinning Road, Irvine, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and were fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £53,401.

Speaking after the case HSE Inspector Mark Austin said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply implementing suitable control measures and safe working practices.

“The company itself had identified and easily implemented the necessary measures after this tragic event.

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

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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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