Forklift Truck Accidents

If you have been injured by a forklift truck, and it wasn’t your fault, then you could be entitled to compensation.

Forklifts pose considerable dangers to those working around them. This makes it even more vital that employers are doing all they can to make their workplaces as safe as possible.

Employers are under legal duties to ensure the safety of their employees. Similar duties are also owed to anyone visiting their premises. If they fail in these duties, or their standards fall short of those required, injuries can happen – injuries which should have been prevented. Such circumstances are a textbook example of an employer’s negligence.

In reality, employer negligence can take many forms. For example:

• Poor maintenance of forklifts or other equipment
• Poor working practices, such as dangerous procedures for loading and unloading forklifts
• Inadequate training given to forklift operators or other workers
• Inadequate supervision
• Poorly-planned workplace layouts which put people at risk
• Allowing obstructions in areas where forklifts will be driving
• Allowing heavy volumes of forklift traffic at the same time
• Placing pressure upon drivers, causing them to operate at speed or under unreasonable stress
• Inadequately designated walkways/safe areas for pedestrians
• Allowing a poor workplace environment, such as bad lighting or flooring
• Failing to supply appropriate safety equipment, such as gloves or high-visibility clothing

Under the law, the actions of an employee during the course of their work are also the responsibility of their employer. So if, for example, you were injured by another employee – who was messing around or just not paying proper attention whilst driving a forklift – a claim could be made against your mutual employer. Your employer would be held, what is called, ‘vicariously liable’.