Companies Advised to Follow HSE Guidelines for Handling Heavy Goods
In light of a terrible accident that claimed the life of an employee on 6 April 2006, HSE inspector Morag Irwin urged companies to take proper precautions while carrying out lifting operations. HSE filed a case against Roadways Container Logistics Ltd. after the company failed to conform to the rules and regulations set forward in Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Alan Fletcher with three other co-workers were involved in unloading cases containing glass from an open top freight container at the company’s Stourton base. While the last case was being lifted out of the container, the fastenings which held it were loose and caused the two tonne case to fall. Fletcher was crushed to death while attempting to stop its fall.
In court, the circumstances of the case revealed that the men supervising unloading the final case (including the victim) had not been trained in lifting heavy goods. Aside from the case’s faulty fastenings, no formal plan had been drawn up and the risks involved with the procedure were not assessed.
Speaking after the hearing, Morag Irwin,HSE inspector stated that the importance of having an effective system in place for managing health and safety generally and specifically when lifting heavy goods, had been highlighted at the hearing. He hoped that the unfortunate incident would serve as a grave reminder to other companies.
With respect to the case, he said that the measures in place were grossly inadequate; there was a failure to carry out a risk assessment or formal planning, as well as a lack of training, all of which resulted in the tragic and unnecessary death of an employee that so easily could have been avoided.
He stated that the HSE had formulated guidelines to this effect and recommended that other companies follow them while carrying out lifting operations.
The hearing at Leeds Crown Court ended with the company being called to pay £100,000 towards costs and £250,000 in fines. Roadway Container Logistics Ltd has not commented on the hearing as yet.
Employers have a duty of care towards ensuring health and safety of the workers and members of the public; Courses, leading to the award of the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health, can be of benefit to organisations in providing the knowledge to manage safely and effectively in compliance with both the organisation’s policy and best practice in health and safety. See NEBOSH e-learning - for information on a web-based training course accredited by the National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health.

