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Look out behind you
Page 39
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Reversing accidents account for 25% of vehicle-related workplace deaths — so how can you reduce the risk? Nigel Smith reports.
Every year an average of 2,500 people are seriously injured in accidents involving vehicles in and around workplaces and there are 70 deaths. About 25% of those deaths occur while vehicles are reversing. As well as the personal tragedies behind those figures, there is the substantial cost of damage to vehicles and premises And these costs escalate if a prosecution is brought against offending employers. Employers have a legal duty to ensure the workplace is free from risk; this extends to ensuring that employees are given suitable and appropriate training in dealing with reversing vehicles.
The potentially tragic consequences of reversing manoeuvres were illustrated in 1999 when an LGV reversing out of an animal feed mill without a banksman hit and killed an 11year-old boy. The feed mill had no policies in place to reduce reversing to a minimum.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes detailed advice on reducing the risk of reversing accidents, starting with setting up one-way systems on sites to avoid reversing altogether. If this is not possible sites can still be organised to minimise the need for reversing.
Another basic step is requiring drivers to report to reception prior to loading or unloading so they can be briefed on the layout of the site and its safety procedures. Where reversing cannot be avoided, the HSE suggests a number of specific safety moves which can be adapted to suit the type of site and the number and type of vehicles using it: • Reversing areas should be clearly marked out with signs and surface markings.
• Make access to areas where reversing takes place off-limits to non-essential staff.
• Consideration should be given to employing a trained signaller or banksman to keep the reversing area clear of pedestrians and to guide drivers.
• Communication equipment such as handheld radios can be useful, particularly on congested sites. • Install mirrors in reversing areas in order to overcome blind spots; ensure that vehicle mirrors are in place, properly adjusted and clean.
• Refractive lenses on rear windows also improve the driver's view, as do CCTV systems.
• Audible and visual vehicle reversing alarms should also be used.