Companies need to be aware of the risks that employees and contractors are exposed to on their work sites, as the recent $220,000 fine imposed on one freight company highlights.
The NSW company, Tamex Transport was fined after an incident occurred at their depot in Beresfield.
A truck driver suffered serious injuries three years ago after he was struck in the head by the door of a freight cage that dislodged and fell while being removed from a trailer by a forklift.
As a result of the incident, the driver suffered a depressed skull fracture and brain injury that led to ongoing deficits of higher cognitive functions, dental injuries, deafness in one ear and lower back injuries.
The District Court of New South Wales found the firm was guilty of failing to have an effective traffic management plan (TMP) at the site, under the WH&S Act 2011.
Loading, unloading exclusion zone (LUEZ) guidelines call for:
- segregation of loading and unloading equipment and pedestrians, including drivers
- loading and unloading activity to be immediately stopped when a pedestrian ceases to be in direct line of sight of the forklift operator.
