E131:05 07 October 2005
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today issued a warning to the construction industry about possible dangers with two items of mobile plant commonly used by construction companies - mobile elevating working platforms (MEWPs) and telehandlers.
Geoff Cox, Head of Operations Yorkshire and North East today said, "There are common features to a number of fatal accidents - and it's those we want to bring to the attention of the construction industry. If you use these types of plant, you need to know what the risks may be and how to check whether you might have a problem yourselves".
HSE are drawing attention to two specific risks. The first is when working from a MEWP there is a danger of the operator being trapped against an overhead or adjacent object that prevents the controls from being released. The second is when working on sites where a telehandler needs to be reversed, or where there is poor pedestrian segregation, there is a risk, due to the driver's limited visibility, of people walking around the site being struck.
Geoff Cox continued, "It should be relatively simple to assess whether you might have a problem. Solving the problem may involve both management controls and physical measures. The management control issues relate to selecting the most appropriate equipment for the task and site, ensuring operators are properly trained and are familiar with the site and the equipment, and setting and enforcing site rules. Physical measures may also be appropriate, but HSE's advice is that users should
always contact the supplier or manufacturer concerned before considering taking any physical measures themselves".
HSE is working with manufacturers and suppliers so that they can deal with some of these issues at source. For new plant, this includes changing the design to reduce or eliminate the hazard, or providing means to control the risk. Suppliers and manufacturers have also been encouraged by HSE to provide information to users of existing machines about risk assessment and any additional measures they could take.
HSE is also involved in joint working and visibility research with UK-based manufacturers and suppliers of telehandlers to improve the international design standards to which they are built.
1. More detailed information for journalists on MEWPs in the construction industry
A photo showing how an operator could become trapped between the MEWP basket rails and the beam
The danger being highlighted in this press release is that of the operator being trapped against overhead and adjacent objects whilst in the platform. Typically, this has occurred when they have been pushed against the controls while raising the platform or adjusting the position of the MEWP, and they have been unable to release the control and stop further movement (see attached photograph).
In some instances supervisors or other workers at ground level have not known how to operate the ground level emergency descent system with confidence, or have not had ready access to the necessary keys, and this has delayed rescue attempts.
In 2004/05 a council worker was killed in this way, and in 2003/04 an electrician. Although not within the construction industry, in 2002/03 a service engineer using a MEWP died from crush injuries when he became trapped against the underside of a roof truss. There have also been a number of major injuries caused the same way.
The current European Standard for MEWPs (BS EN 280:2001) requires "all controls to be constructed to prevent inadvertent operation", however, this requirement does not necessarily protect against the above accidents. As a consequence legitimately CE marked machines can still pose this risk.
Construction contractors can assess the risk by asking the following questions:
Construction contractors should ensure that enough people know how to operate the emergency descent system from ground level should a rescue be necessary (for whatever reasons).
MEWP operators and their supervisors should be alerted to these risks and account should be taken of them when construction contractors plan any work at height from a MEWP.
They should check that MEWP operators have been trained to a recognised standard, and that they have been sufficiently familiarised with the machine they are required to operate.
Construction contractors are strongly advised to consult their manufacturer / supplier for advice if they consider physical measures are necessary to control the risk.
HSE has informed the relevant Trade Association and all known UK-based manufacturers and suppliers of these machines about its concerns. Similarly, the European Standards making body (CEN) is being lobbied by the UK with the intention of addressing this issue in BS EN 280.
2. More detailed information for journalists on telehandlers in the construction industry
A man standing in the path of a reversing telehandler
The danger being highlighted in this press release is that of pedestrians being struck by the vehicle when the driver has impaired visibility while travelling on traffic routes and open areas, and while manoeuvring or starting to move from stationary in areas where pedestrians can be present (see attached photograph). Visibility is limited by the shape of the machine itself, and this can be made worse by the load being carried and the layout of the site on which it is operating.
In 2004/05 there was one fatal accident involving a pedestrian being struck by a telehandler on a construction site, and there was a second such fatality in 2003/04. In addition, there was a fatality in the waste industry in 2003/04 where a worker was struck by a reversing telehandler. Out of these 3 fatalities, 2 were during reversing and one was during forward travel.
Telehandlers are typically designed to BS EN 1459:1998, and this Standard requires compliance with a further international Standard that deals specifically with driver visibility (ISO/DIS 13564). Telehandlers with the type of driver blind spots described above can still comply with these Standards, so legitimately CE marked machines may still pose these risks.
Construction contractors can assess the risk by asking the following questions:
Remember that a trained and competent driver cannot be expected to fully compensate for any difficulties identified in the four assessment questions posed above.
There are a number of interim measures that can be taken, either singly or in combination, and the nature of the site is likely to determine which is the optional solution in any specific instance. It should also be noted that none of the suggested measures are necessarily comprehensive, and some residual risks may remain.
Possible interim measures (in no particular order) would be:
When considering the last two possible measures (7(c) and 7(d)) in relation to the telehandlers themselves, you are strongly advised to consult the hirers, suppliers and/or manufacturers of the plant concerned.
HSE has informed the most relevant Trade Association and all known UK-based manufacturers and suppliers of these machines about its concerns. The British Industrial Truck Association (BITA), HSE and suppliers are actively involved in negotiating improvements in the design standards for telehandlers and driver visibility, and are conducting joint research on the suitability and use of visibility aids.
All enquiries from journalists should be directed to the HSE Press Office
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