Tuesday, 2 April 2013

Poorly maintained forklift truck causes death



A 34 year-old forklift truck caused the death of the 61 year old manager and co-directorof Chard Truck Services, three months after being crushed by the “prehistoric”forklift.

Theaccident occurred when the vehicle toppled over after a wheel went into an open gully.

Whentested by the HSE, the following defects were found:

  • The handbrake could not be locked in position
  • The foot brake was not working properly
  • The reverse pedal did not work properly
  • There was no seat belt

Firefightershad to cut the roll cage and steering column to free the driver. He was takento Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton where he suffered a cardiac arrest the nextday and then never regained consciousness. He died from pneumonia with braininfarction and hypoxia due to the crush injury.

Inreturning a verdict of accidental death with a narrative the jury added that:“significant factors” were the defective vehicle and poor health and safetypractices. Specific contributors included those listed above and the lack of ageneral risk assessment.

Source:Western Daily Press Thursday, March 28, 2013

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