The Health & Safety Executive (“HSE”) recently reported that a grocery supplier had been fined £1M after one of its employees was crushed to death by a reversing lorry.
The employee, who was acting as banksman and directing his colleague as he reversed a HGV into an unloading area, was fatally crushed after becoming trapped between the lorry and a wall.
The HSE investigation found that the company had not carried out a suitable assessment of the risks involved in the task, had not provided adequate training for its employees acting as banksmen and failed to implement a safe system of work for vehicle movements.
Statistics gathered by the HSE show that workplace transport incidents involving pedestrians remain a major cause of fatal injuries in the workplace. In the period April 2024 to March 2025 there were 14 such recorded fatalities.
Employers are required to plan their work activities in a way which reduces contact between pedestrians and vehicles and their risk assessments should consider all workplace transport activities including loading and unloading so that pedestrians are safe from risk of harm which inevitably arise with vehicles moving, especially in confined spaces.
The need to carry out such risk assessments is an ongoing requirement, and reviews should be carried out on a regular basis to ensure that any changes in workplace activities or arrangements are accounted for both prior to and after their implementation.
How we can help
The HSE is a government agency whose purpose is to hold employers accountable for employee safety. Even though it may decide to fine negligent employers the people impacted by the workplace incidents themselves do not receive compensation through them. To access compensation and support you need to make a personal injury claim, using the civil courts if necessary. At Enable Law we are experts in supporting people make such claims to help them get their lives back together following a life changing injury. We also support bereaved family members to access bereavement and dependency compensation to reduce some of the financial burden brought upon by the loss of their loved one.
Faqir Nawaz has been specialising in personal injury work for over 24 years and has a special interest in accidents at work. If you, a member of your family or someone you know has been unfortunate enough to sustain injuries as a result of a workplace incident then please get in touch as Faqir or another member of our expert legal team will be happy to advise you further. You can call us for free on 0800 044 8488 or fill in our contact form for us to give you a call back at a time convenient for you. All initial discussions are free of charge and completely confidential. Your employer will not be notified that you are seeking legal advice unless you decide to go ahead with making a claim.
