Page 1631 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive

Safety, Health, Environmental & Quality Bulletin No 609

01 March 2018

MEWP Fatality

A Suffolk based company has recently been fined £120,000 for failing to protect an employee who
suffered fatal injuries when a cherry picker was hit by a vehicle.

The worker was installing signage at the entrance to a site when the cherry picker was clipped by a
Long Goods Vehicle (LGV). The worker was thrown out of the MEWP into a roadway from a height
of 1.5m. He died two days later in hospital from head injuries.

Speaking after the case, HSE Principal Inspector Norman Macritchie said “This was a tragic and wholly
avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to implement and monitor safe systems of
work. The company did not undertake the simple safety measure of segregating those working at height
from adjacent workplace transport operations, in line with widely available industry guidance.”

See HSE press release http://press.hse.gov.uk/2018/trailer-repair-company-fined-after-worker-killed/
and IOSH magazine article https://www.ioshmagazine.com/article/trailer-co-allowed-scissor-lift-
fatally-close-hgv-route

This incident highlights the need to segregate your work area, and erect barriers around the MEWP with
sufficient space to create a buffer zone. Wherever possible park your vehicle in the line of fire,
especially if you are working near the site entrance.

Cherry pickers are particularly hazardous near traffic, as they act as a catapult when hit. Always wear a
harness/lanyard in a cherry picker, and pay particular attention to the position of the boom, ensure it
does not extend past your safe working area.

Always carry out a last minute risk assessment (LMRA), especially when working at height or near high
traffic areas. Do not work if you cannot create a suitable safe working area – contact your line manager.

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