Safety failures lead to spate of deaths

A spate of vehicle-related deaths and serious injuries at workplaces has prompted a warning from WorkSafe.

The West Australian safety watchdog underlined a number of recent incidents involving vehicles, or parts of them.

Director Joe Attard said it was clear that not enough attention was being given to safe practices in workplaces where vehicles are involved.

“Wherever vehicles and people interact, strict rules need to be in place to ensure the work environment is kept as safe as possible,” he said, “and the number of recent incidents indicates that more attention needs to be given to this crucial workplace issue.”

While Attard’s comment may seem an obvious statement, the roll-call of avoidable accidents is shocking reading.

# A bystander died when a driver was manoeuvring a truck in a loading dock. The victim was crushed against a wall killed when the rear of the truck swung out.
# In two separate incidents hydraulic ramps of low loader trailers fell on people, killing them.
# A person was hit by a truck trailer and crushed by its wheels as the truck moved slowly around a corner at a work site.
# Several incidents saw people killed or maimed while forklifts and cranes were moving loads by either being hit, or having a load dropped on them.
# Drivers turning on ignition in trucks remotely, with the vehicles in gear, have caused several recent serious injuries.
# A front end loader reversed and crushed a bystander against a parked vehicle, causing serious injuries.
# A member of the public died when an earthmover landscaping a garden next to a park backed over him. There was no spotter or signage to warn of danger.

“We’re really concerned about the number of recent incidents involving mobile plant and pedestrians,” Attard said.

“There seem to be a number of contributing factors to these incidents, but the bottom line is a lack of management of the movement and speed of vehicles and a lack of segregation of pedestrians and vehicles.
“I urge employers to ensure the movement and speed of vehicles is managed to minimise the risk of injury and that workplaces are designed and maintained to ensure the safety of operators and others.
“In addition, safe systems of work, communication systems and signage need to be in place, and everyone at the workplace needs to be adequately trained in these safe systems.
“Lastly, operators and others should not be permitted to work in the fall zone of ramps or underneath vehicles or mobile plant that is not adequately supported.”