UltraPing Blog

In another successful trial against the violators of Workplace Regulations 1992 for Health, Safety and Welfare, Dairy Farmers of Britain Ltd was fined £12, 916 including costs by the Lincoln Magistrates’ Court after they pleaded guilty.

At the heels of the decision for breach of Regulation 12(1) and 17(1) of the said regulations, HSE has issued a warning to the employers using vehicles, like fork-trucks together with pedestrian employees at the work site, to maintain floors and order of traffic circulation.

According to the facts of the case, the driver, Mr John Reader suffered several fracture injuries to his lower right leg after colliding with a forklift truck while driving a ride-on pallet truck on 18th June 2008. The injured driver had to be taken to Lincoln County Hospital for treatment. The investigation report said that not only was the traffic circulation disorganised, the surfaces on which the vehicles plied were mostly wet and slippery as well as damaged in places causing safety risks to pedestrians as well as vehicles.

In his statement to the press, Scott Wynne, HSE Inspector pointed out that the accident could have been avoided with preventive measures taken by the employers. He also said that if the traffic circulation was aptly organised, both vehicles and pedestrians could operate in a safe manner. He also suggested that the employers should assess the health and safety risks involved in using the same work area for vehicles and pedestrians and chalk out measures to safeguard such traffic as per the HSE guidelines. Risk assessment training is essential to ensure your organisation meets its basic commitments to providing a safe work environment for your staff - click for info on risk assessment courses operated by Workplace Law Training.