Worker dragged along factory floor by Forklift
Posted on September 30th 2009
£3,000 has been fined to a luxury motorboat manufacturer, as well as £4,000 in costs, following their failure to ensure that pedestrians and vehicles could move safely around their factory after a worker was hit by a forklift truck.
The driver of the forklift truck hit his colleague who had been walking through the car park after his lunch break. The man was mowed down, crushing him; he was then dragged along the factory floor for some time until the driver was made aware that he had someone underneath his vehicle.
The driver and worker were traumatised by the event, which could have been made avoidable if the organisation had clearly set out separate areas for the onsite vehicles and workers. The Health and Safety Executive who have prosecuted the company on their failure to comply with Health and Safety laws are urging for employers to be aware of the terrible circumstances that can arise should they breach the laws which are put in place for the safety of employees.
In this instance the worker was lucky to be alive and that he was only left with fractures to his pelvis and leg.
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