$625K fine after worker struck by forklift suffers degloving

In Western Australia, a transport and logistics company has been fined $625,000 after a worker struck by a forklift suffered serious injuries, including the degloving of part of one leg.

The incident

The incident occurred in January 2021 at Toll Transport Pty Ltd’s premises at Perth Airport. A worker employed as a forklift driver was on light duties following an injury.

On the morning of the incident, the worker was tasked with changing the stickers on the floor of the freight bays — some freight bays were marked with a sticker on the concrete floor that corresponded with an identical sticker placed on the freight.

Included in the area he was working were loading docks and freight bays where freight was delivered and sorted before being loaded onto road trains and transported to mine sites.

There were three forklifts operating in the area that morning, and while bending over changing a sticker, he was struck from behind by one of these forklifts reversing.

He suffered serious injuries to both legs, including the degloving of part of one leg, fractures and crush injuries. Since the incident, he has required five surgeries.

Fine and WorkSafe WA comment

Having pleaded guilty to failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace and, by that failure, causing serious harm to the worker, Toll Transport was fined $625,000 (and ordered to pay more than $8000 in costs) in the Perth Magistrates Court on 3 October.

“In this case, the company was aware of the risks associated with the operation of forklifts in areas where interaction with other workers might occur,” WorkSafe WA Commissioner Sally North said.

“Safe work procedures were in place that included being aware of pedestrians, maintaining a three-metre exclusion zone, and checking mirrors and over both shoulders before reversing a forklift.

“However, the court found that Toll’s procedures fell short in that they should have delineated the area between forklifts and pedestrians.

“It was practicable for Toll to have used barricades to keep operating forklifts out of the areas where pedestrians could be placing stickers on the ground.

“Toll did implement the use of barricades after this incident, but unfortunately too late for the worker who suffered serious and lasting injuries.

“A guidance note on safe movement of vehicles at workplaces is available on WorkSafe’s website, and I urge managers at workplaces in which pedestrians and mobile plant can be in the same space to review this guidance and to consult workers to ensure that reliable and effective controls are in place.”

‘Safe movement of vehicles at workplaces: Guidance note’ is available here, via the WorkSafe WA website.

Image credit: iStock.com/nullplus. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.