When a ‘brief’ induction was just not enough to achieve day one competence
What happened?
An agency worker was starting a new job as a driver delivering beer kegs. It was his first day, and he was given a ‘brief’ induction at the company’s depot before starting work the same day.
An address on his route was incorrect and the order of 12 beer was kegs was undeliverable. The worker was moving the kegs with a pallet truck to access the next load when he fell from the raised tail lift on to the road.
Several kegs of beer fell and struck him, resulting in a traumatic brain injury and facial fractures that required metal plates to be inserted into his skull.
The HSE investigated and found the worker had no previous experience with the type of pallet truck or tail lift involved in the accident. He had not been trained to use the machinery safely, nor was he made aware of safe working practices for operating a pallet truck on a tail lift.
It said the company failed in its duty to carry out checks on the injured person’s competence and previous experience and, as a result, did not provide adequate training.
Legal Outcome
The company pleaded guilty to breaching s 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £60,000, plus costs of £7,203.
What can we learn from what happened?
The injured worker was not competent, and it is the employer’s legal responsibility to ensure its employees (or in this case agency workers) are competent. The fact that it was his first day makes no difference to this legal requirement – a life or a quality of life is of no less value because it is someone’s first day.
Competence is a combination of knowledge and skills, and these are developed through training which can sometimes lead to qualifications. Another key component of competence is experience, which makes it interesting when someone doesn’t have any.
It is, therefore, for the employee to achieve competence on day one through training provided by the employer, and then develop competence while they are gaining experience. In this case study, the training was inadequate and did not compensate in any way for the lack of experience.
Day one health and safety competence is a very interesting area of work, and presents a significant challenge for any employer for whom the safety of anyone (employee/colleague/customer) could be affected.
Source of Information
IOSH Magazine