The Health & Safety Executive has issued a safety warning after a 36-year-old man was crushed by the descending boom of the telehandler he was operating.
The man was thought to have been leaning through the broken window aperture of the telehandler at the time. It is not known where the incident took place.
This is the third such fatal accident in the last seven years. The side window on telehandlers (or variable reach trucks) is designed to prevent operator access to the boom. If the glass screen is broken or missing, operators may be tempted to lean out of the window aperture, for instance to adjust a mirror, and may inadvertently lower the boom onto themselves without being able to stop it.
The HSE is recommending that machines in this condition be removed from use until the window has been replaced, and reminding users of their duty to carry out daily checks of the truck which should include the condition of the cab windows.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
