The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) have drawn attention to the risks associated with reversing vehicles at work, with cases in recent months bringing the issue into focus.
Their recent article highlights being struck by a moving vehicle as one of the leading causes of work-related fatalities in Great Britain, and notes the patterns in many cases they see involving reversing vehicles.
Making reference throughout to preventability, they stress the importance of having the relevant measures in place to reduce the risk of accidents.
Recent cases
The British Safety Council’s Safety Management publication recently reported that the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two separate cases with striking similarities, where workers were killed by reversing HGVs.
Since this was published, further cases involving reversing vehicles have been reported by the HSE, involving a HGV, a skip wagon and a road sweeper, respectively, which all resulted in fatalities.
Guidance to reduce risk
In businesses where any vehicles may be required to reverse, it is vital that relevant measures are in place and followed to protect everyone in the vicinity.
Take a look at the HSE’s article in full for guidance on why these types of incidents happen and how to prevent them.