The Royal Mail Group Ltd has been fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs of a further £10,000 after one of its workers had his foot run over by a reach truck in a warehouse.
The incident occurred at the group’s Rochester bundling warehouse where a worker stepped out into an aisle and in the process had his foot run over by one of his colleagues who was driving a reach truck. The injured worker was not wearing the appropriate steel-capped safety boots at the time; and as a result his foot was badly bruised and some of his bones were broken.
An investigation by the HSE found that workplace transport was not organised with a view to ensuring that pedestrians and vehicles could circulate safely, as they both operated in the same areas without segregation. It was suggested that better organisation of the workplace transport systems could have prevented this situation from happening. Royal Mail Group Ltd pleaded guilty of breaching Regulations 17(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The two key messages to take away from this incident are that injuries are less likely to happen if risks and potential hazards have been identified and methods managed to minimize danger. Also that if Personal Protective Equipment is issued, systems should be in place to ensure that it is used accordingly – if the employee in this case had been wearing the steel-capped safety boots he might have suffered less injury to his foot.
Employers have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their workers, both by implementing appropriate systems, but also by managing the risks around their businesses. If you have been injured at work and it can be proved that your employer was negligent in their approach to safety, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Our solicitors have years of experience in handling these types of case, and will swiftly be able to tell you if you are eligible to claim, and if so, how much your claim could be worth. Contact us today to see how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.