Recent prosecutions - employee killed by reversing vehicle

In May 2022, a goat farming company was fined £180,000 for safety offences after an employee was killed by a reversing vehicle. On 1 August 2018, an employee of Yorkshire Dairy Goats was struck by a reversing telescopic materials handler vehicle (telehandler) while working on a farm in York.

An HSE investigation revealed that, after finishing her shift, the woman walked through a corridor and into the path of the reversing vehicle. The driver was unable to see the worker and could not prevent the accident. The company received a £180,000 fine, plus £20,000 in costs.

Avoiding vehicle incidents in your builders merchant

A high proportion of onsite traffic accidents are caused by reversing vehicles, but it's possible to minimise risks with simple safety controls:

• Assess where vehicles reverse on your site and evaluate if it is necessary. Consider if a one-way system could eliminate the need.
• If reversing is unavoidable, check that you have suitable controls in place – reversing alarms, flashing lights and motion sensors.
• If you have routes that step into traffic movement, ensure you have suitable signage and barriers in place.
• Consider using trained signallers (or banksmen) to guide drivers.
• Minimise the interaction between pedestrians and vehicles wherever possible.
• Ask visiting drivers to report to reception for an overview of your site layout.