19 Jul Forklift accidents prove costly
Workplace accidents involving lifting equipment on the rise.
The number of workplace accidents involving lifting equipment such as forklifts and cranes is on the rise according to a new Injuries Board claim analysis. Last year 40 people received compensation totalling €1.3million for workplace accidents involving forklifts and cranes, compared to 34 workers in 2011. In contrast, the overall number of compensation awards for workplace accidents has decreased from 820 in 2011 to 807 last year.
The Injuries Board is highlighting the worrying upward trend in these accidents to caution employers and employees against allowing complacency to creep into workplace safety practices. According to the Health and Safety Authority the transportation and storage sector has the third highest worker fatality rate each year, after agriculture and construction.
Last year alone, the Injuries Board awarded total compensation of €1.3million for workplace accidents that involved forklifts, diggers and cranes. The average compensation award was €32,990 with claimants suffering fractured and broken bones and soft tissue injuries. The nature of accidents varied widely and included: claimants being struck by a forklift or digger or rear-ended while operating a forklift; workers have sustained crushed limbs from falling pallets while others have even been thrown from a forklift or struck by a crane tilt.
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Source: Injuries Board