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There will always be risks associated with driving, and for those near and around wagons and trailers. Recently, I read an article where a young man died as a result of a trailer reversing into a yard. Accidents involving lorries and fork trucks in work yards causes around 65 deaths and over a 1000 serious injuries every year.

For the health and safety manager this area is often the last to be done in the risk assessment list, although potentially one of the most hazardous, with wagons, fork trucks, pedestrians and visitors all at the same time, what can be done to reduce the amount of accidents.

When doing your risk assessment don’t make it too complicated, study all the potential hazards and let people aware of it, ask the employees that work in that area as they are aware of all the potential dangers. Analyse all the vehicles that enter your site see what can be done to separate them from pedestrian walk ways. Remember that if you have containers or skips these vehicles often have to reverse in and out several times, often in confined space, proper training in how to communicate with the drivers so keeping control of the reversing vehicles.

Paths and walkways have to be even and free from moss and algae, preventing a slip trip or fall can save your company thousands of pounds in loss or earnings and legal costs. All employees and contractors entering your site must be aware of your Health and Safety regulations. If possible visit contractors and give them a written copy of your health and safety policy and risk assessment, ask them if there is anything that they can see when they enter your site, don’t be afraid to ask. This could save someones life.

Employers have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of their employees and others who may be affected by their work activities.

As I was writing this piece I received an e-mail about another death, a worker was hit by a reversing vehicle in Scotland, the firm was heavily fined for not ensuring that proper training was given to all employees.