Increased Learning : Lowers Risks : Reduces Premiums

Having no measures to separate vehicles from pedestrians contributed to an incident at a Staffordshire environmental waste company that resulted in a 23 year old man being crushed by a skid steer vehicle as it was reversing.

The man from Cannock was handpicking waste from a skip at Rugeley Environmental Waste Services Ltd on 5 September 2011 when a skid steer loader reversed into him, pinning him against the skip.

The man suffered soft tissue injuries to his groin and was taken to hospital by air ambulance. He was able to return to work only after several weeks and has since left the company.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation  revealed that the vehicle was being used in a relatively confined space and no measures were in place to segregate vehicles and pedestrians.

The investigation also revealed the company had failed to carry out a risk assessment of its workplace transport activities.

Rugeley Environmental Waste Services Ltd, of The Embankment, Power Station Road, Rugeley, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of employees.

Stafford Magistrates’ Court fined the firm £5,000 and ordered it to pay costs of £4,306.

“Workplace transport is the second biggest cause of death in the workplace. It is vital that risk assessments are carried out where vehicles are involved and suitable control measures put in place to prevent incidents such as this.

“This company had a poor and unsafe system of work. Had the company segregated vehicles and personnel, a man would not have suffered a painful injury.