Industry news
Worker crushed by reversing lorry
Posted Tue, 07 Aug 2012
A worker fractured his spine and pelvis after he was crushed by a tar tipper lorry which reversed into the road repair equipment he was driving.
The 20-year-old subcontractor was undertaking road maintenance work on a paver machine between the villages of Tongland and Rhonehouse in Dumfries and Galloway.
He was one of two subcontractors carrying out repairs on the minor road for Hamilton Tarmac, Dumfries Sheriff Court heard.
A team of men from Dumfries and Galloway Council was working alongside the pair on 27 April 2010.
The injured worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, bruised his kidney, suffered internal bleeding, fractured his pelvis and spine and damaged his nerves.
After the incident, the Health and Safety Executive investigated and found that danger had been caused by the tipper lorry reversing a fair distance on the narrow road when visibility was limited.
Inspectors also discovered that the tipper lorry had not been fitted with cameras, which would have been an adequate reversing aid.
Dumfries and Galloway Council, of English Street, Dumfries was fined £40,000 after pleading guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety At Work etc Act 1974.
Copyright Press Association 2012