Devon recycling firm fined following telehandler injury 22 January 2014

Leases Limited has been fined £33,000 plus £13,389 costs after a man was seriously injured by a reversing vehicle at its recycling centre in Exeter.

The firm hired a telehandler in September 2012, but did not have it fitted with a reversing camera, so in October when five workers were sorting through recycling waste, one was hit by the vehicle as it was backing.

"Leases Limited failed to ensure that all vehicles on their sites had their blind spots eliminated and [the employee] suffered serious and life changing injuries as a result," says HSE inspector Simon Jones.

"The telehandler, a large and powerful machine, was operating in close proximity to workers... Despite having a known blind spot, the telehandler had to undertake numerous reversing manoeuvres and it was only a matter of time before it hit one of the workers," he continues.

"The dangers of blind spots on reversing vehicles are well known within the waste and recycling industries. The easiest way to eliminate [them] is to install reversing CCTV, which is easy and inexpensive to fit."

Brian Tinham

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Health & Safety Executive

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