Death prompts telehandler warning
The HSE is warning all users of telescopic variable reach trucks, commonly known as telehandlers, of the danger of not replacing broken windows on these machines.
The Safety Notice was after a man was killed whilst operating a telehandler; it is suspected that the man was leaning through the broken right side window aperture, when he was crushed and fatally injured by the descending boom.
The side window on variable reach trucks is designed as a guard to prevent operator access to the boom. If the glass screen is broken or missing, operators may lean out of the window aperture and can inadvertently lower the boom onto themselves. They may not realise the danger they face, and if the boom does lower onto them, that they may not be able to stop it.
Action required: If this side glass screen is broken or missing the machine should be removed from use until it has been replaced. Machine owners, users and operators should be warned of the dangers of operating their machines with the side screen broken or missing, and the importance of reporting such damage as soon as it occurs.
Users are also reminded of the importance of carrying out daily checks of the condition of their trucks, and that the condition of the cab windows is part of these inspections.
Source: HSE
