Will workers death inspire use of facilities management health and safety practices?
October 7th 15:01 Health and Safety
A number of businesses could be inspired to improve their health and safety practices following an incident near Newcastle.
Construction worker Charles Wilkinson died within weeks of being struck by a telehandler driven by a colleague while working for Scottish construction firm James Swinton Co.
After pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to one breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Newcastle Crown Court, the organisation was £10,000 and ordered to pay £4,063 costs.
Dr Dave Shallow, an inspector with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said: "This was a tragic accident that could and should have been avoided.
"Site transport activities should be managed to minimise as far as possible the need for reversing. But where it is necessary to reverse, site managers should ensure that it is done in a safe and controlled manner, using a banksman, reversing aids on the vehicles and segregation of pedestrians and vehicles."
