News Article

HGV accident


Posted by Dan Gibbs | Date Posted 31.07.2007 | Time Posted 10:04:37 | Views: 475

The importance of ensuring safe systems are in place to control workplace transport is highlighted by the recent prosecution of two Northamptonshire companies in a case where an employee suffered serious injuries from being struck by a car.

Mr Robert Campbell, a 56-year-old security officer from Raunds, was employed by G4S Security Services (UK) Ltd.

On 17 February 2006, Mr Campbell sustained serious head injuries after being struck by a car leaving the premises of Rigid Containers Ltd, a packaging company on Stoke Albany Road at Desborough.

The security officer was checking a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) leaving the site when he was hit by an employee's car that was also exiting the site through a different security barrier.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the companies' planning did not make proper arrangements for controlling the operation of the vehicle barriers and the sequencing of traffic on to and off site.

The problems were made worse as a result of Rigid Containers redesigning the main entrance to its factory in the summer of 2005.

The packaging company was fined £65,000 after pleading guilty to breaching s.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 (HSWA), which covers the duty of the employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that affected non-employees are not exposed to risks to their health or safety, as well as regulation 17(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which requires every workplace to be organised in such a way that pedestrians and vehicles can circulate in a safe manner.

The security company was fined £50,000 after pleading guilty to breaching s.2(1) of the HSWA which covers the duty of the employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of employees.

Costs of £10,650 and £7900 respectively were awarded to the HSE.


Published in sections: Health and Safety ::

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