Health & Safety / Unloading Bulky Loads Incident
Unloading Bulky Loads Incident
Event Title: Delivering and unloading bulky loads – On Orchard
Event Date: 31st March 2022
Event Location: Apata Group Ltd
Event Description:
- While unloading Frost Fan bases the strops being used slipped as they were not secured to the forklift mast, causing the Frost Fan base to bounce on the truck bed and onto a car which had parked alongside.
The car was driven by a contract worker who had completed his days’ work and wanted to leave the site. The load pad was used for parking worker vehicles. Multiple PCBU’s using one area.
The truck driver and forklift operator did not notice the car approach or park as they were fixed on their task. There was no traffic management in place to guide the worker away from the unloading drop zone or prevent him entering the area.
There were no injuries, but everyone was quite shaken by this incident.
Lessons and Recommendations:
- Risk assessments to be completed prior to starting tasks – Training of Orchard Managers and Supervisors to conduct these.
- Ensure correct equipment is used to unload – especially bigger, unbalanced objects.
- Traffic management planning to be reviewed – especially for dynamic workplaces.
- Ensure multiple PCBU consult, cooperate, and coordinate.