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A vehicle hire company’s failure to control traffic at its poorly organized yard in West London has cost it nearly £8,000 after a Ford Transit tipper hit and injured a worker. Hampshire based SHB Hire was fined £5,000 plus £2,815 costs at Westminster Magistrates Court after it admitted failing to ensure employees’ safety contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Matthew Stevens was cleaning a vehicle at the yard in January 2008 when he saw the reversing tipper coming towards him. He tried to avoid it by jumping on the bonnet of the vehicle he was cleaning, but the tipper hit his legs, causing severe swelling and bruising.
The driver, a mechanic, had been moving the tipper so he could get access to another vehicle in the yard that he needed to repair.
After the accident, the HSE served SHB with an Improvement Notice ordering it to segregate pedestrians and organise the yard area.
‘While the injuries in this case were minor’ said HSE Inspector Jack Wilby, ‘the poor conditions of the yard and the failure to adequately manage the risks could have easily resulted in a more serious injury’.
SHB has complied fully with the Improvement Notice, and has separated the valeting area at the site and a neighbouring school’s car park.
