Injury after unattended telehandler was left running

Once again a recycling company has made the news, again this is not for a good reason. This time the company was fined £666,000 after worker suffers head injuries after an unattended telehandler led to serious injury.

Countrystyle Recycling Ltd, a Maidstone based recycling company, was fined after a 34-year old worker suffered life-threatening head injuries. The Folkestone Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 30 September 2015, the 34-year old employee of  Ltd instructed another colleague to use a telehandler to move paper at the company’s site in Maidstone, Kent. The telehandler was left running while the employee left the cab unattended. The boom of the telehandler was elevated and was lowered by another employee who entered the cab of the vehicle. The boom struck the head of the injured person as he was standing below this raised boom.

The injured worker suffered serious brain injuries and has not returned to work since this incident.

The Health and Safety Executive’s investigation found the company failed to suitably plan the management and overseeing of workplace transport activities on site. The investigation also found employees of Countrystyle Ltd had not received the appropriate level of training in order to safely operate the telehandlers on site.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Bose Gabriel said:

This incident could have been prevented had Countrystyle planned this workplace activity beforehand and identified the risks associated.

Duty holders must ensure they devise and carry out safe systems of work at all times. Workplace transport incidents are very serious and usually result in life-threatening injuries, as highlighted in this case.