Worker seriously injured in vehicle accident at work

Posted on July 06^th 2009

A warning has been released by the Health and Safety Executive to raise the issues of potential risks of using incorrect workplace transport after a worker was seriously injured during the use of an incorrect vehicle for the task he was carrying out.

The company, whose business involves the transporting and loading of steel shuttering panels for farm walls, was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs after pleading guilty to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The worker, who lost his right leg in the serious workplace accident had been advised to use a tractor and trailer on this occasion, as apposed to a flat-bed lorry, to transport steel shuttering panels. To unload the steel panels it meant that he had to climb into the trailer to unhitch them but this caused them to slip and fall on the worker crushing him, leaving him with serious injuries.

This incident is an example of how a lack of duty of care made by an employer can cause life changing consequences, which could have been avoided should this company had accessed the risks initially.

Protect your employees by purchasing employers liability insurance from Insure my Liability. Should your employee suffer an accident in the workplace our liability insurance will protect your business.

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