The Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court found Robinson’s Unloading Pty Ltd culpable on Friday, 2 August for not fostering a risk-free workplace environment and ensuring systematic health and safety procedures. The court verdict came without conviction, instead imposing a Good Behaviour Bond for 12 months, coupled with a $40,000 court fund payment and further costs of $6,139.
In an incident at the Epping market in March 2023, an on-ground worker walked out from behind a safety barrier to assess the truck’s load whilst a forklift was loading produce into a semi-trailer. Unseen by the forklift driver due to his current load, there ensued a collision causing severe injuries to the worker necessitating hospitalisation.
WorkSafe conducted a comprehensive investigation, revealing that Robinson’s Unloading lacked minimum WHS management systems or a recorded traffic handling plan to regulate pedestrian access to the loading dock and prevent such accidents. A Bluesafe SWMS (Safe Work Method Statement) or a Bluesafe WHS Management System could have been instrumental in such situations.
It would have been feasible for the company to formulate a traffic managing plan, incorporating the arrangement of barricades to segregate mobile plant and workers in the loading zone; demarcating exclusion zones, as well as safe zones for drivers and pedestrian lanes. Certain mandatory rules must be enforced at the site to regulate operations like maintaining a three-metre exclusion radius around functioning forklifts.
WorkSafe Health and Safety Executive Director Sam Jenkin stressed on the crucial nature of control measures inclusive of traffic regulation schemes, particularly in workplaces where powered mobile plants like forklifts operate.
He strongly advocated the inception of systems physically distancing forklifts from ground workers and if coexistence is necessary, specific walkways and exclusion sectors must be established and obeyed.
Highlighting the distressing fact of serious injuries being inflicted upon a worker weekly on average due to forklift-related incidents, Mr Jenkin expressed the unacceptability of such risks considering their well-known prominence.
He emphasized on employers providing mobile plant facilities like forklills should ensure the usage of SWMS or comprehensive guidelines such as Bluesafe WHS Management System to prevent potential workplace accidents.
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Original article link: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news/2024-08/serious-forklift-injury-costs-company-40000