Fork-lift truck driver prosecuted after injuring colleague

A fork-lift truck driver has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after driving into a colleague.

Gerald David Wyatt was driving his truck loaded with a stack of 12 modular sheds which obscured his vision and resulted in him striking a colleague and causing him a fractured pelvis, cuts and bruises.

Mr Wyatt was fined £1,750 in court today for failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of other persons under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Anne Robinson, HSE's investigating inspector, said: "It is important that individuals are aware that they, as well as their employer, have duties under the law to take reasonable care of the health and safety of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work."

She added that fork-lift truck operators must ensure that they use them in accordance with the training they have been given to prevent such accidents from taking place.

Meanwhile, figures from the HSE reveal that in the last 25 years, over 2,800 people have died from injuries they received as a result of construction work.

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