On 22 January 2016, a Tuffnells Parcels Express Limited employee was fatally injured whilst attempting to attach a trailer to his vehicle. The trailer was parked on a slight slope, which was enough to allow it to roll forward and trap him.
Investigating, the HSE found safety management arrangements for coupling trailers to vehicles failed to take account of the slope.
Tuffnells Parcels Express Limited of Wallows Industrial Estate, Dudley pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £1.5 million with costs of £32,823.35
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Karl Raw said: “Had Tuffnells taken the slope into account, simple measures could have been taken that would have prevented this incident.
“Workplace transport remains a high risk environment, and this case serves as a reminder to industry that assessments of sites should be specific and identify the hazards unique to each yard. It is also a reminder that the slope a vehicle is parked on does not need to be steep for incidents to occur.
“This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to adopt robust management action in both planning and monitoring of the workplace and workplace actions at this site.”
With employees who drive for business more likely to be killed at work than deep sea divers or coal miners, driver safety is a vital business consideration.
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