Workplace Fire Safety: Accident Analysis, Prevention, and RIDDOR

This report examines workplace safety following a forklift truck accident in a manufacturing company. It identifies immediate and underlying causes, emphasizing speeding, housekeeping issues, and poorly trained drivers. The report proposes an improvement plan including speed limits, training, and safe turning practices. It addresses preventing further injuries, focusing on staff education, personal protective equipment, and safety monitoring. The report outlines compliance with RIDDOR regulations and the Health and Safety Act 1974, including information, training, and supervision. It also covers minimizing compensation claims and designing an action plan to prevent future accidents, recommending regular equipment checks and adherence to safety protocols. The report highlights the importance of staff training, proper equipment use, and government regulations to ensure workplace safety and mitigate potential risks.

Work Place
and
Fire Safety

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1. Immediate and underlying causes of the accident within the improvement plan...............1
2. Prevention of further injuries to staff members..................................................................2
3. Meeting the requirements of RIDDOR..............................................................................3
4. Compliance with health and safety act 1974, information, training, instruction and
supervision for employees......................................................................................................3
5. Minimising potential for compensation claims..................................................................4
6. Action plan designed to minimise similar accident occurring in the future.......................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Safety is a concept that consist of all measures and activities taken to preserve the life,
health and bodily unity of people. At the workplace, safety is measured by a series of metrics
that track by the rate of misses, injuries, fatalities and illness (Afa Michael, 2018). In respect to
modify these metrics required to staff member and manager of the organisation aware for any
incident and examine workplace safety. For this require to assure about the safety and follow all
the protocols and measure are being followed or to apply new one if required. This assignment
based on the Fork lift truck accident in the manufacturing company. There has been record good
accident with only minor injuries being reported. They claim it is an example of exploitative
management so media take interest in this case. In the report consist of reason of the accident and
prepare improvement plan to improve future safety practices and prevention for future injuries,
meet with the requirements of RIDDOR. Along with apply suitable act for work place safety and
reduce for compensation claims and prepare action plan.
MAIN BODY
1. Immediate and underlying causes of the accident within the improvement plan
There are defined different reasons that become reason of accident like slips and trips,
falls, being caught in machinery, being struck by an object, lift goods through truck in warehouse
and most other accidents type are preventable. There are discussed different reason of the fork
lift accidents in the manufacturing company such as:
 Speeding: Many times driver become irresponsible during drive and do not comfortable
with the vehicle so that time travelling too fast on a fork lift shortens a driver's reaction
time.
 Housekeeping issues: If work place housekeeping mess so it become unsafe working
atmosphere for the driver. Such as, a lack of clear driving approach can easily lead for the
sedate accidents. To developing fork lifts only arise when putting up different barriers
that take long way regarding to safer work atmosphere (Guntrip, 2017).
 Poorly trained driver: A poorly trained driver responsible for the changing work place so
carry of new inventory goods, barriers and staff members or changes in floor gradient
that problems are become reason of inexperienced operator.
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For these accidents prepare as improvement plan where defined all the safety that taken
by the organisation to aware for these accidents and does not happen in the future such as:
 Slow Down: Post speed limit indicate around the facility and assure about the forklift
drivers to follow all the rules and regulations regarding to speed such as it keeps about 5.
 Provide training: OSHA requires that each driver of forklift have training that how to
operate in the warehouse other wise it become reason of big accidents. So it is required to
analysis the efficiency that based on the provisions of 1910.178(1)(3) every three years.
 Slow down for turns: Due to turning time require to take slow turn otherwise too fast can
become reason of the forklift to tilt. To ignore these tipping take slow down before the
turn and arrange all the gradual speed by the overall all rotation (Jinnett and et. Al, 2017).
There are defined different mechanism that apply by the organisation at the work place to
improve future safety practice and safety culture.
 Provide proper training to all the employees regarding to safety and in any accident cases
how to take effective decisions.
 Use all the equipments in good manner for improve future safety and safety culture.
 Time to time examine all the equipments and change if find out any damages.
 Follow all the rules and regulations regarding to safety that set by the government for
different work place and according to that take effective decision.
2. Prevention of further injuries to staff members
In present time manufacturing business could not conduct functions without any forklifts
because it impact on the power and mobility as these helpful, ubiquitous tools can present all the
related hazards. This infographic show the dangerous of forklift, and provide different
preventions that can utilise for accidents and assure about the facility stays safe.
 Educate staff members and management staff: To continuous cultivate a safety standard
among staff members and staff management. For this purpose necessary to train workers
regarding to work and how to keep safe from the accident possibilities. Supplemental
training in body mechanics can deduct strain injuries and keep staff members safe due to
lifting and moving (Muchiri, McMurray and Pham, 2018).
 Provide protection equipment: Personal protection equipment require at the work place
because it helps to create safety criteria. It should be helping to recruiting, meetings and
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with spontaneous monitoring. So take sufficient time to guide staff members regarding to
protection and organise different safety events.
 Don't take shortcuts: Many time forklift to save time lift heavy goods so as a result it
become reason of the accidents so it is required to follow all the rules of the forklift like
reduce speed, take slow turn, don't put over weight on lift etc.
 Monitor safety measure: After the training examine all the safety tools that provide by the
organisation to employees regarding to safety and if any damage find so replace it.
3. Meeting the requirements of RIDDOR
RIDDOR is the law that require to follow by all the staff members and other people that
work on higher position and track all the records. So work related accidents become reason of
deaths. Due to work related accidents occur some serious injuries and some dig nosed cases of
certain industrial diseases. As an employer, it is legal requirement to keep report all the accidents
no matter how big or small and impact on the health of work. For the legally compliant keep all
the records regarding to accidents. So there is following the requirements such s:
 Tracking all the reportable accidents, injuries, work related deaths and specific injuries
lasting more then seven days.
 Keeping all records in a file, accident book in written or on a computer.
 RIDDOR reporting done by the online reporting system where use HSE website.
 Understand all the patterns which is related to injuries and focused when undertaking risk
evaluation.
 A company have more than 10 accidents so must carry a book where mention all the
detail about the accidents (Tulashie, Addai and Annan, 2016) .
 It is suggested that RIDDOR keep all the records for 5-6 years in respect to enable time
for any civil litigation to be made.
4. Compliance with health and safety act 1974, information, training, instruction and supervision
for employees
Employment legislation are the most essential part that need to be followed by the
company effectively. It's basically prepared by the local authorities to safeguard the interest of
employee and offer them the safe condition to work. So the policies need to be drafted in such a
manner it maintain the employer employee relation and offer healthy working conditions to the
staff. As per the 'Four lift truck accident' case study experienced the major accident because they
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were constantly changing the working practice due to which the employee became the sufferer.
So there are certain legislation like Health and Safety act 1974 that configure the wide range of
duties that employer need to follow. For instance, the employer are bound to offer the healthy
working conditions to the employee so that as per respective manufacturing company the
chances of minor or major accidents can be mitigated (Wadud and Huda, 2017). The
manufacturing company is the conglomerate of production, storage as well as transportation
where the safety adviser need to concentrate on each function. As it involve the use of tool and
technique that need to handled suitably otherwise it may cause the chances of accident.
Along with that training is the essential practice that enhances the skill and capability of
the personnel to safely handle the equipment. Fork lift trick was used for the convenience of
people so that they can easily reach from one place to another that save the time and energy to
perform the activities. Along with that it help to carry small loads from one place to the other.
But before giving the truck the personnel manager need to train the staff effectively so that they
lead hoe to operate the vehicle which substantially reduces the chances of accidence. Although
the employee have been a part of either small or major accident that depict the ineffective
management system of the manufacturing company. Thus, the close supervision and instruction
can assist the manufacturing company to eradicate the chances of accidents and any injury by
adopting the safety measures effectively. This is the safety precaution that enrich the loyalty of
personnel and even the manufacturing firm need not to face any media because these accidents
are affect someone's life life and can shut down the company. Therefore, the manager need to opt
special precaution to safeguard the lives of people (Wanjeri, Kinoti and Olewe, 2018).
5. Minimising potential for compensation claims
Compensation claims are usually taken during the time of severe injury as well as accidents
taken place at the workplace. At this circumstances the manager are liable to pay the amount to
the employee to recover its injury and get back to the normal situation. These payments are
carried out on the basis of legal laws so the company must not take the actions to escape or give
excuses while issuing these claims. As the representatives of the company cannot compensate the
situation of the employee but these claims can come in the sue of employees. This include the
medical benefit or care that make sure it upgrade the situation of person. Although at the initial
state it is the responsibility of the manager that they need to make the close supervision and take
sufficient time to train the staff because the constant practice can assist the employee to carry out
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the routine task effectively. Such process can eradicate chances of injury. According to the case
study it is the responsibility of the manger of manufacturing company to compensate the
employee for their injury due to the Fork lift truck accidents as the help or funds is the useful
way to recover the situation. Along with that as the media are interest to telecast whole situation
then offering desirable compensation can help to retain the image of company. Further, the
manufacturing company need to educate the team that how efficiency they can operate the
forklift without being part of an accidents (Wiman, Lydell and Nyholm, 2016). This leads to
better handling of the equipment along with that they employer can facilitate the information to
the employee that where they can address during the time of injuries. This maintain the clarity in
terms of report the confined department that deeply analyse the whole incident and guide the
actions of employee by giving them the compensation claim. This further generate the better
understanding where everyone understand the actions and leads to cooperation. So it is the
responsibility of the personnel manger to console the injured staff by compensating all the
medical bills and claims which act as an action to enhance their situation desirably.
6. Action plan designed to minimise similar accident occurring in the future
Fork lift truck accident that took place in the manufacturing firm is the undesirable condition that
can affect the life of employee and goodwill of an organisation. So the chances of both minor
and major injuries are the dangerous situation for the firm because it signifies that it is not able to
carry out the storage, production and transportation function effectively (Wong and Lee, 2016).
Therefore, there are certain actions plans which need to be prepared by the manufacturing
company in order to eradicate the chances of accidents that can take place in the future.
Explanation of the procedure are stated below:
Safety policies: At this stage the manager of company needs to assemble together and
makes discussion about the past scenario and decide the way by which these dangerous situation
can be avoided in the future. This gives deep insight where focus is given to the area that can
mitigate the chances of accidents. Under this either the company can make decision either to
discard the use Forklift truck or use other mechanise to overcome the workplace hazard.
Safety Incentives: To promote the safe working conditions the personnel manager can
direct the employees that how they have to function and operate the tool. Along with that they
can reward the employee if they find them suitable enough to use the mechanise. This is the
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motivating factor that pushes the effort of employee in right direction and function under the
commitments and guidelines measure.
Safety training: This is the most essential procedure under which the manager of
manufacturing company needs to provide them the theoretical as well as practical training
programme. This enriches the ability of an individual to coordinate with the efforts of trainer
and learning the desirable practices for the better functioning of firm. Along with that the new
employee needs to be the part of advance safety training practice that undergo the safety measure
to operate the truck and other mechanise without harming themselves (Woodfield, 2016).
Safety audit: Audit refers to the monitoring practice under which the manager of
manufacturing firm analyse the functioning and the regular changes. This does not leaves the
scope for accident as whatever the incidents which can occur in future are determine and proper
actions are used to avoid them. Manufacturing firm need carry out the audit on weekly or
monthly basis to determine the application of potential metrics.
CONCLUSION
As per the above report it has been concluded that a safety work environment is
necessary at the work place whether different size of the business, procedure and safety at the
work place. To measure of the safety require to follow all the procedure and use good
equipments. As per the case study require top provide proper training to driver and other staff
member regarding to work place safety. There is required to follow all the RIDDOR
requirements that specially related with the work place accidents. For this apply different
compliance for health & safety and compensate regarding to accidents. In the ends develop
action plan where take all the appropriate action that reduce the accidents.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Afa Michael, I., 2018. Development of Lift Control System Algorithm and PME Analysis in the
Workplace. Applied System Innovation. 1(4). p.38.
Guntrip, L., 2017. Fire safety in care homes: a big problem under harsh scrutiny. Nursing And
Residential Care. 19(8). pp.468-471.
Jinnett, K. and et. al, 2017. Chronic conditions, workplace safety, and job demands contribute to
absenteeism and job performance. Health Affairs. 36(2). pp.237-244.
Muchiri, M. K., McMurray, A. J. and Pham, HC., 2019. How transformational and empowering
leader behaviors enhance workplace safety: A review and research agenda. The Journal
of Developing Areas. 53(1). pp.257-265.
Tulashie, S. K., Addai, E. K. and Annan, J. S., 2016. Exposure assessment, a preventive process
in managing workplace safety and health, challenges in Ghana. Safety science. 84.
pp.210-215.
Wadud, Z. and Huda, F. Y., 2017. Fire safety in the readymade garment sector in Bangladesh:
structural inadequacy versus management deficiency. Fire technology. 53(2). pp.793-
814.
Wanjeri, J. K., Kinoti, M. and Olewe, T. H., 2018. Risk factors for burn injuries and fire safety
awareness among patients hospitalized at a public hospital in Nairobi, Kenya: A case
control study. Burns. 44(4). pp.962-968.
Wiman, V., Lydell, M. and Nyholm, M., 2016. Views of the workplace as a health promotion
arena among managers of small companies. Health Education Journal. 75(8). pp.950-
960.
Wong, D. B. and Lee, S. G., 2016. Modelling the predictors of intention in workplace safety
compliance of a multi-ethnic workforce. Safety science. 88. pp.155-165.
Woodfield, R., 2016. Gender and the achievement of skilled status in the workplace: the case of
women leaders in the UK Fire and Rescue Service. Work, employment and society.
30(2). pp.237-255.
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