Workplaces : Case Studies
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This young warehouseman tragically died when he drove a fork-lift truck without training or authorisation.
The fork-lift overturned and he fractured his skull.
At 9.00 pm in the evening, the young man got into a fork-lift truck and attempted to do a 180 degree turn at speed around the back of a trailer. The fork-lift overturned and he fractured his skull. The head injuries proved fatal and he died.
The young man was not employed to drive fork-lift trucks and he had received no training in using them. However, it was custom and practice to allow all employees access and use of the fork-lift trucks.
The company were prosecuted and instructed to ensure that the keys to the fork-lift trucks were not available to non-trained staff.
With thanks to Carole Booker (HM Acting Principal Inspector of Health and Safety) Birmingham HSE for listings.
