The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2014 - Issue 35 | Page 78

TRAILERS

Reversing: the
risks and how
to avoid them
Nearly a quarter of all deaths
involving vehicles at work
occur during reversing.
In a recent case, a farm
worker was tragically
killed by a reversing tractor
trailer and the farmer fined
£100,000 plus costs. Many
other reversing accidents
at work do not result in
death or injury but cause
costly damage to vehicles,
equipment and premises.
The HSE says most of
these accidents can
be avoided by taking
simple precautions,
such as those below:
• Remove the need for
reversing altogether, by
setting up one-way systems,
for example drive-through
loading and unloading
positions. Where reversing is
unavoidable, routes should
be organised to minimise the
need for reversing.
• Ensure visiting drivers are
familiar with the layout of
the workplace, and with any
site rules. Do drivers have
to report to reception on
arrival?
In locations where
reversing cannot
be avoided:
• ‘Reversing areas’ should
be planned out and clearly
marked.
• People who do not need to
be in reversing areas should
be kept well clear.

• Consider employing a trained
signaller (a banksman), both
to keep the reversing area
free of pedestrians and to
guide d