OHSAS 18001 training need emphasised by worker death, Mar 11, 2010 00:00:00
The requirement to carry out regular OHSAS 18001 training has been emphasised by the death of a Royal Mail employee.
Colin Smith, a 57-year-old yard shunter with the company, was fatally injured after being hit by a reversing HGV at the organisation's Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre in 2006.
On March 10th, Reading Crown Court fined the firm £90,000 and ordered it to pay costs of £42,549.56 over the incident.
The court heard how Mr Smith became trapped between the tractor and the trailer as the driver manoeuvred his vehicle to line up with a parked trailer unit.
He had been taking the lock off the trailer when the vehicle reversed, trapping him and causing his fatal injuries.
Karl Howes, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector, commented that the accident could have been "easily prevented".
"The company failed to adequately assess the risk to shunters working in the yard or to identify and rectify the unsafe system and this contributed to Mr Smith's death," he elaborated.
HSE statistics show that 25 people were killed at work after being hit by moving vehicles.
According to the body, employees working in the transport, storage and communication sector are much more likely to sustain serious injuries as a result of being hit by a moving vehicle.
On average, three per cent of injuries occur in the industry in this way, compared with one per cent across other sectors.
Posted by Eliot Kemp
Colin Smith, a 57-year-old yard shunter with the company, was fatally injured after being hit by a reversing HGV at the organisation's Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre in 2006.
On March 10th, Reading Crown Court fined the firm £90,000 and ordered it to pay costs of £42,549.56 over the incident.
The court heard how Mr Smith became trapped between the tractor and the trailer as the driver manoeuvred his vehicle to line up with a parked trailer unit.
He had been taking the lock off the trailer when the vehicle reversed, trapping him and causing his fatal injuries.
Karl Howes, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector, commented that the accident could have been "easily prevented".
"The company failed to adequately assess the risk to shunters working in the yard or to identify and rectify the unsafe system and this contributed to Mr Smith's death," he elaborated.
HSE statistics show that 25 people were killed at work after being hit by moving vehicles.
According to the body, employees working in the transport, storage and communication sector are much more likely to sustain serious injuries as a result of being hit by a moving vehicle.
On average, three per cent of injuries occur in the industry in this way, compared with one per cent across other sectors.
Posted by Eliot Kemp
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