Unfortunately, it sometimes takes the deaths of one or more workers to fully grab the attention of employers and workplace safety officials.
Two fatal incidents at the Sydney Markets prompted the fresh-food market to recently impose the strict use of seat belts and rollover protection for all forklifts.
The incidents, in 2012 and 2013 which claimed the lives of Filipe Hehea and Mark Rushton respectively, have resulted in the mandatory use of seat belts in forklift trucks at the Sydney Markets and prompted them recently to review their safety standards.
Every night around 5,000 workers at the largest fresh-food market in the southern hemisphere move around at a frenzied pace and 850 forklift trucks drive around the 43-hectare sheds in Western Sydney hauling fresh produce from delivery trucks to wholesale stalls and to waiting retailer vans.
In June 2012, a forklift driver was crushed by his truck hit a curb and turned over.
The investigation conducted by safety watchdog, WorkCover found the incident to be a very unfortunate one.
Seven months later, two forklifts collided with one tipping over and killed its driver.
The incident is still being investigated by the safety watchdog, the police and the coroner.
Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: [email protected].
©2014 Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law.
WORK COMP CALCULATOR: http://www.LowerWC.com/calculator.php
MODIFIED DUTY CALCULATOR: http://www.LowerWC.com/transitional-duty-cost-calculator.php
WC GROUP: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?homeNewMember=&gid=1922050/
SUBSCRIBE: Workers Comp Resource Center Newsletter
