There are two Global Safety Alerts, which sadly relate to fatal incidents involving drivers in our operations overseas.

In the first incident, a contract haulier died when his flatbed vehicle overturned on a sharp bend while transporting cement bags.  We know from previous experience the relevance of vehicle speed in such incidents, with slight increases in speed greatly increasing vehicle instability, and also the influence of vehicle type and load (Centre of Gravity) and road and weather conditions.  It is important drivers are advised of higher risk routes and periodically reminded of the risk of rollovers.

The rollover training film available via the following link provides a good summary of the hazards and risks, link: https://cmx.to/2ZrtcF2

In the second incident, a customer put himself in danger working between the axles of a vehicle without effectively isolating it; tragically the vehicle moved forward crushing the driver.  Where possible vehicle maintenance should be carried out in dedicated workshops. If a vehicle cannot be moved, steps should be taken to demarcate / segregate the area, with the activities being controlled under a Permit to Work.

People working on vehicles should be competent and aware of the need for effective isolation, including key control and the use of wheel chocks, throughout any maintenance activities.  This incident is a sad reminder for us all of the importance of keeping out of the “line of fire” and the relevance of robust site inductions.

Please review the Alerts with your teams, taking the time to consider any potential improvements to local safe systems.

The Alerts should also be displayed on relevant noticeboards.  They can be found in the download section of the UK News website: Global Safety Alert - Contractor fatally injured in rollover incident (778 downloads) Global Safety Alert - Customer fatally injured at landfill site (765 downloads)

Before starting any new task always STOP, THINK…& CHECK it is safe, and always STEP IN if you see anything unsafe.