UK warning on telehandlers after fatal accident

The UK's health and safety agency has warned that telehandlers should not be operated if the driver's side window is missing or broken. The warning follows a fatal accident in February.

A 36 year old UK operator was killed by the telehandler's descending boom as he leaned out of the open window. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) said it was the third such fatality in the past seven years.

"The side window on telehandlers is designed to prevent operator access to the boom", said HSE, "If the glass screen is broken or missing, operators may be tempted to lean out of the window aperture, for instance to adjust a mirror, and may inadvertently lower the boom onto themselves without being able to stop it."

The Executive has now issued a safety notice recommending that machines in this condition be removed from use until the window has been replaced.

The Safety Notice can be viewed at:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/telehandlers.htm