Driver Crushed By Vehicle At Work Suffers Severe Damage To Arm
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During October 2019, an employee of Stagecoach Devon Ltd was crushed by a vehicle in his depot. A culture of complacency cost the man usage of his arm.
It had become custom for drivers to reverse without a banksman or rely on other, untrained drivers. Buses would reverse out of the depot to become ready for transporting people. In the top area, where most of the buses were parked, a banksman – the only one for the whole depot – would direct the vehicles out safely.
However, due to the nature of the depot in Torquay, drivers at the front area did not have the banksman on hand to assist them. It had become run-of-the-mill to get the buses out without waiting on, training, or hiring the required people. As a result, the injured party was crushed between a vehicle parked and a reversing bus.
The man crushed by the vehicle endured multiple compound arm fractures. He required six titanium plates, as well as sixty-five metal staples to secure his forearm, between the elbow and wrist. This could have been a lot worse, given that it was an accident involving a bus.
The HSE Investigation Into The Accident
After an investigation, HSE found that Stagecoach failed to create a “suitable and sufficient” risk assessment. Risks would have been clearly identified by the layout of the depot. A clear plan could have removed the need for reversal or mitigated the risk it posed. It could have provided better walkways to isolate buses from pedestrians. An increase in trained banksmen, particularly during peak businesses hours, could have prevented this person being crushed by the vehicles he worked with.
After the evidence presented from the workplace accident investigation, Stagecoach pleaded guilty to the breach of Section 2(1) of the H&SaWA. They were fined £380,000, as well as £18,000 in costs. HSE inspector said after the hearing:
“Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction, and training to their workers in the safe system of work. If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”
Have You Been Crushed By A Vehicle At Work?
Accidents involving vehicles at work are one of the more common causes of serious personal injury. If you work around vehicles, particularly large or industrial types, then your employer must have suitable risk assessments in place. They also need to find ways to mitigate these risks, or they stand to injure their employees, and face massive fines. It is lucky that this employee wasn’t fatally injured.
If you have been injured or crushed by a vehicle in your workplace, we can help you claim compensation on a no win, no fee* basis. Not only will you be given damages to reflect your pain and suffering, but the company you work for will need to review their health and safety practices. Hopefully reducing the risk of this happening to others. Call today on 08082391859^ to speak to our friendly experts.
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