A lorry driver suffered multiple fractures to his legs when he was struck by a forklift truck while he was loading his vehicle.
The incident took place on 9 March 2010 at Verplas Ltd’s depot in Verwood, Dorset, where the company manufactures ventilation systems for white goods. Kelvin Davey, 61, was approaching the end of his shift and was loading goods into his lorry for a delivery the following day.
Mr Davey was being assisted by a colleague who was operating a forklift truck, and while they were loading the lorry another forklift truck reversed and struck Mr Davey. He suffered fractures to both ankles and to the lower part of his legs, and was unable to return to work for more than six months owing to his injuries.
The HSE visited the site and found that there was not enough space for two forklifts to operate at the same time in the loading bay. The investigation identified that the company had failed to identify this risk and had not put a safe system of work in place.
HSE inspector Ian Smart said: “Even though Mr Davey was very experienced, this potentially career-ending injury still occurred.
“The message is that if firms have limited space they still have to organise their operation so that they don’t have conflicting activities going on in the same place. Pedestrians and forklift trucks don’t mix”.
Verplas Ltd appeared at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court on 17 October and pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) of the HSWA 1974. It was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £2407 in costs.
In mitigation, the company said it was not a normal occurrence to have two forklifts operating at the same time in the loading area. It admitted that it had been an oversight not to identify the risks of more than one vehicle operating in the area. The company has subsequently put procedures in place to monitor staff, so that only one vehicle is operated in the area at a time. It also installed a barrier so pedestrians have a walkway that keeps them segregated from vehicles.
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How can the company not plan for the possibility of two machine being required to operate in the same area. Surely if they have more than one forklift and are doing regular loading/unloading there is a good chance that two separate operations might overlap. I’d say that’s an aggravating factor not mitigation!
They should have watched ‘Napo in… Safe moves’, and would know better!