16/05/2018
Royal Mail Group was recently fined £1.6 million after a yard marshal suffered serious injuries after being hit by a 7.5 tonne truck at its Jubilee Royal Mail Centre in Hounslow.
Every year, around 50 people are killed and more than 5000 people are injured in accidents involving workplace transport. Most accidents are caused by people falling from or being struck by a vehicle, objects falling from a vehicle, or vehicles overturning.
The significant fine handed down by the court illustrates how seriously vehicle accidents are viewed.
The Incident
The victim of the incident was a yard marshal. He was hit by a 7.5 tonne truck as it left the yard. The incident knocked him unconscious and causing multiple injuries, including a fractured jaw and several fractured ribs.
The Health and Safety Executive told Isleworth Crown Court that Royal Mail Group were guilty of several failures including:
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not undertaking significant risk assessments and monitoring
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a severe lack of safety, training, instruction, and supervision
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a lack of safe transport methods, including no adequate road markings or signage
According to IOS Magazine, a Hounslow Council spokesperson said:
“During the course of the extensive investigations, a number of safety failures were identified at the Royal Mail depot. Royal Mail was served an improvement notice that required improvements to keep staff and visitors safe. These improvements have since been implemented in full[1]”.
The judge, in following the Sentencing Guidelines for Health and Safety, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene Offences, stated the breach resulted in a high likelihood of harm. The fine handed down was initially calculated at £2.4 million but was reduced by a third due to Royal Mail Group entering an early guilty plea.
Health and Safety Breaches Over the Past 15 years
Royal Mail Group has been subject to several fines for health and safety breaches over the past 15 years, including:
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in 2016, they were fined £50,000 after an employee’s foot was run over by a reach truck at a bundling centre in Rochester, Kent
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in 2015, a fleet technician sustained chemical burns after he was directed to use faulty, unsafe cleaning equipment in Hemel Hampstead – the company was fined £40,000
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in 2010, a lorry driver was crushed to death, resulting in a fine of £90,000
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in 2006, a £250,000 was levied after a worker fell 9 metres through the roof a West London mail centre
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in 2003, a pensioner was struck and killed by a lorry as he was collecting a package at the company’s Bridgend office
The Communication Workers Union (CWC) national health and safety officer, David Joyce stated:
“This catalogue of deaths and serious injuries to Royal Mail workers and members of the public doesn’t make good reading. Obviously, we’re concerned about this situation and want Royal Mail to look at the causes.
“Royal Mail’s yard safety record isn’t good and is causing concern and disquiet. I’m very concerned about the accidents and near misses. The same types of accidents seem to crop up, and they are easily avoidable if you learn from past mistakes. Safety procedures are not being enforced”.
As illustrated above, Royal Mail Group have been subject to multiple fines for significant health and safety breaches, some of which have resulted in death.
Fisher Scoggins Waters is a London based law firm specialising in construction, manufacturing, and engineering law. Please phone us on 0207 993 6960 for legal advice and representation in these areas or an emergency response regarding a health and safety matter.
[1] https://www.ioshmagazine.com/article/royal-mail-fined-ps16m-over-yard-marshals-multiple-injuries