MEWPs, telehandlers and the construction injury risk
Mobile plants, including both mobile elevating working platforms (MEWPs) and telehandlers, are pieces of machinery vital to many building sites across the UK. However, they also represent a significant construction injury danger.
The major construction injury dangers they pose are easily identifiable. With telehandlers, the major concern is that where there is poor segregation between the vehicle and pedestrians, poor driver visibility means that those working in and around the site might be struck.
With MEWPs, the major risk is that operators might become trapped between near objects and the vehicle itself, thus preventing the controls from being released and causing potentially serious personal injury.
Fortunately, the Health and Safety Executive have spent many years trying to address these hazards, working with site managers, manufacturers and suppliers to try and minimise the problems inherent with the use of these vehicles. Measures include liaising with manufacturers on design principles and formulating accurate risk assessments of existing machinery.
HSE head of operations in Yorkshire and the North East comments, "There are common features to a number of fatal accidents - and it's those we want to bring to the attention of the construction industry. If you use these types of plant, you need to know what the risks may be and how to check whether you might have a problem yourselves.
The HSE view
"It should be relatively simple to assess whether you might have a problem. Solving the problem may involve both management controls and physical measures. The management control issues relate to selecting the most appropriate equipment for the task and site, ensuring operators are properly trained and are familiar with the site and the equipment, and setting and enforcing site rules. Physical measures may also be appropriate, but HSE's advice is that users should always contact the supplier or manufacturer concerned before considering taking any physical measures themselves."
No win, no fee lawyers representing the construction accident claimant
YouClaim are committed to helping UK workers who have suffered injury in construction accidents claim the compensation they deserve.
The no win, no fee lawyers on our panel firms who specialise in construction accident litigation are second-to-none when it comes to understanding the finer legal details at the heart of this kind of claim. And, over the years, they have forged an undeniably excellent success rate in representing the construction injury claimant.
When dealing with this kind of claim, we always put the interests of the client first. Effectively, this means that the whole process, from start to finish, of making a compensation claim is completely cost-free.
In winning cases, we will always charge our fees to the opposing legal side (or insurance), meaning that you don't have to pay a penny.
Furthermore, we deliver 100 percent compensation to every winning client we never take a cut.
In the small minority of cases we don't win, there is no cost to you either, as we ensure you are never billed for any legal fees.
In short, the process always remains completely risk-free, while giving you the best possible chance of securing a successful outcome.
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