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Workman brain damaged after machine falls from lorry during unloading
Haulage company Joda Freight Limited, of West Yorkshire has been fined £5k after an employee was struck by machinery being off-loaded from a lorry.
Nicholas Holmes, aged 49, was delivering machinery to premises in Glasgow on 16 August 2007 the machine fell striking him on the head and leaving him with permanent brain damage.
Mr Holmes had not been told how panel saws were secured in the lorry. When he removed the straps securing the saws, the load became unstable, causing the incident.
The company did not have a reliable system of communication in place to make sure their drivers were informed about the securing and stability of loads.
‘Chinese whispers’ are not effective communications
Joda Freight Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Following the case, HSE Inspector Jean Edgar said:
“This was a horrific incident and will have terrible consequences for Mr Holmes and his family for many years to come.
Haulage companies must make sure information is properly communicated between drivers in how a load is secured and strapped. Verbal messages through a third party may not be enough.
This is particularly important where the delivery driver did not load the vehicle – and has little information on the precise strapping method used to secure it.
Every year around 70 people are killed and thousands more suffer major injuries in incidents involving vehicles in and around workplaces. A significant number of these occur during deliveries and collections.
Suppliers, hauliers and recipients must cooperate and ensure their drivers are trained to assess delivery and collection risks and reduce them as far as possible.”