|
10 October 2005 - HSE Mobile Plant Warning
to Construction Industry
Navigation
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have issued a warning to
the construction industry regarding the risks to users of mobile elevating
working platforms (MEWP's) and Telehandlers, as it has been found that
fatalities to users of these two mobile plant machines have common features.
The two main risk areas the HSE have highlighted are as follows:
- When working from a MEWP there is a danger of the operator being trapped
against an overhead or adjacent object that prevents the controls from being
released.
- When working on sites where a telehandler needs to be reversed, or where
there is poor pedestrian segregation, there is a risk, due to the driver's
limited visibility, of people walking around the site being struck.
Mr. Geoff Cox, Head of Operations for Yorkshire and the North East commented:
"There are common features to a number of fatal accidents - and it's
those we want to bring to the attention of the construction industry. If you
use these types of plant, you need to know what the risks may be and how to
check whether you might have a problem yourselves.
"It should be relatively simple to assess whether you might have a
problem. Solving the problem may involve both management controls and physical
measures. The management control issues relate to selecting the most
appropriate equipment for the task and site, ensuring operators are properly
trained and are familiar with the site and the equipment, and setting and
enforcing site rules. Physical measures may also be appropriate, but HSE's
advice is that users should always contact the supplier or manufacturer
concerned before considering taking any physical measures themselves."
The HSE are working with manufacturers and suppliers of these types of plant,
in order to deal with risks at source including the following:
- Changing the design of new plant to reduce or eliminate the hazard, or
providing means to control the risk.
- Encouraging Suppliers and manufacturers to provide information on risk
assessments and any additional safety measures they could take.
The HSE are also working jointly with UK-based manufacturers and suppliers of
MEWP's and Telehandlers for improvement of International design standards.
Article by Alexandra Johnston
 Click Here to
Email This Article To a Friend
|
