ABSTRACT
This chapter examines vehicular hazards and the controls available to address them.
7.1.2 Hazards in vehicle operations Many different kinds of vehicle are used in the workplace including dumper trucks, heavy goods vehicles, all-terrain vehicles and, perhaps the most common, the fork-lift truck. Approximately 70 persons are killed annually following vehicle accidents in the workplace in the UK. In 2008/09, 45 workers were killed and over 5000 injured in workplace transport accidents. The third highest cause of accidental death in the workplace was being struck by a moving vehicle. Approximately a quarter of all workplace vehicle-related deaths occur while a vehicle is reversing. There are also over 1000 major accidents (involving serious fractures, head injuries and amputations) caused by:
■ collisions between pedestrians and vehicles; ■ people falling from vehicles; ■ people being struck by objects falling from vehicles;
■ people being struck by an overturning vehicle; ■ communication problems between vehicle drivers
and employees or members of the public.
