Leading by example

It’s not just the small companies that get it wrong when it comes to safety in the workplace, sometimes the “big” boys make mistakes too. Take, for instance, the recent case of Thames Water who have just received fines and costs totaling in excess of £361,000 after an employee of theirs was killed, on one of their sites, by a reversing excavator. The worker was working in one of the companies sand filter beds when an excavator involved with the work hit him. He received multiple crush injuries and died at the scene.

HSE established that “although TWUL recognised the need for control measures to mitigate the risk of a collision between plant and workers, the company failed to implement sufficient measures on the day. Those working in the beds, including Mr Holmes, had received no formal instruction or supervision to ensure they understood the safe systems of work.” HSE also found that “nobody was required to wear hi-visibility clothing, and that the excavator had no effective rear view mirrors or any form of reversing aid or alarm.”

In an era when the expectation is for the larger companies to have a greater degree of responsibility for their employees, it is disappointing that these occurrences still happen. It must be the way forward for the larger companies to set the good example and influence the attitude and practices of the smaller ones.