Cobra UK: Employers must take duty of care seriously

Following a spate of work accidents involving fork lift trucks, industry experts are encouraging employers to take measures to improve their implementation of health and safety policy.

Cobra UK has issued a warning to companies to follow their duty of care, after the Health and Safety Executive released figures showing how fork lift trucks were responsible for the highest percentage of serious transport related injuries in the workplace during 2010, at over a fifth.

Moreover, last month a waste disposal company was fined £20,000 after an employee was serious injured in an accident involving a reversing fork lift truck.

To prevent future incidents, employers must ensure that all drivers are well trained and use proper reversing equipment, including cameras and monitors.

Andrew Smith, managing director at Cobra UK Limited, stated: "[Reversing cameras and monitors] can minimise the hefty bills a fork lift can easily incur in reversing related body damage, while helping employers meet duty of care responsibilities."

To prevent accidents, employers are also advised to partition transport thoroughfares and pedestrian areas.

Published by Kevin Round