Forklift truck accidents at work are a common place. A accident involving a fork lift truck is a daily occurrence in the work place. The accident at work involving a fork lift truck is not always down to the driver of the vehicle. It is often workers or visitors who work in close proximity to the fork lift truck that can be in danger and suffer an injury at work.
Any member of the public or employees who sustained an injury due to an accident with a fork lift truck may be able to claim compensation.
Details of forklift truck and accident at work
Injuries Caused by Fork Lift Truck Accident
Accident compensation involving fork lift truck pursued by injury solicitors are due to many reasons the following are not exhaustive:
- Uneven flooring causing the fork lift truck to topple over
- Pot holes in flooring, causing jarring to the fork lift truck, goods to fall
- Loads too heavy for the fork lift truck causing it to become unstable and drop items
- Collision with other fork lift trucks
- Lighting in the work place being insufficient to see clearly obstacles and workers
- Where the fork lift truck knocks into equipment, shelving units etc which causes items to fall giving rise to potential injury to other workers and the fork lift truck driver
- Where the fork lift truck driver drives the vehicle too fast causing an accident
- A forklift truck accident at work claim can arise where the driver, when getting out of the forklift truck slips on oil or water on the work floor causing injury
- Where a forklift truck traps another worker or visitor to the workplace causing an accident or crushing injury at work
Cutting Down Forklift Truck Accidents at Work
To help cut down forklift truck accidents at work, there is a requirement that the driver must past various tests to ensure he or she is competent to drive the FLT, similar to passing a driving test. Every fork lift truck driver must have a licence to drive the vehicle. There are numerous other requirements such as the fork lift truck driver must be easily seen and thus must wear a high visibility jacket, hard hat, safety boots. Fork lift trucks are a type of heavy lifting equipment that fall under the LOLER regulations and must receive regular LOLER Inspections to confirm they are up to the standard required.
The fork lift truck driver must also know his vehicle and maintain it in conjunction with his or her employer duty to undertake effective maintenance and report any issues to the employer immediately.
Designated Areas – Forklift Truck Work Accident Claims
Another duty where employers will consider under Law and Regulations will be to ensure the whole working environment is safe and have regard to the issue of forklift tuck accidents at work. Thus one way to help reduce forklift truck injury compensation claims is to have designated areas for fork lift trucks. These areas should be clearly marked. Non-fork lift truck workers will have their own designated walk way, again clearly marked so that no fork lift truck can enter these areas to reduce the possibility of injury.
In addition fork lift trucks are usually brightly painted have installed a flashing or rotating light and have siren/bleeping noises to ensure all who are close by that a fork lift truck is nearby and to warn workers so as to prevent a forklift truck at work compensation claim.
