The latest fatality in the workplace statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) were released in July. The third most common cause of death in the workplace, with 17 fatalities in 2024/25, is death by being trapped by something collapsing or overturning.
Whilst the HSE highlights that Great Britain is one of the safest places in the world to work, it also acknowledges, as do we at The Health & Safety Dept, that even one death is one too many. Let’s take a look at what your business can do to safeguard against fatalities caused by collapsing or overturning objects in the workplace.
Risk assessments
Risk assessments are your initial point of reference when it comes to preventing accidents in the workplace. Identifying what could potentially collapse or overturn will then allow you to mitigate these risks.
Where practicable, your risk assessment may lead you to removing the risk of collapsing or overturning objects. For example, if a wall is seen to be in disrepair it may be fixed or replaced. But where the hazard remains, there are other actions you may explore taking.
Signage
If areas are identified to be at risk of collapse, then use clear signage to inform workers of the hazard and restrict access to the area. In these cases only fully trained and competent workers should be briefed on how to safely pass through these areas in order to address the hazard and remove the danger.
Signage could also be used to indicate safe walking routes around sites, especially where heaving machinery or vehicles are in use. Sometimes the visual reminder of hazards can benefit all, even if they have been discussed in training or safety briefings.
Driver safety
In many cases of workers becoming trapped by something overturning, it involves vehicles or heavy machinery, such as forklift trucks (FLT), cranes, and other vehicles that aren’t being handled correctly.
Therefore, you should ensure that all operators are fully trained to follow safety protocols and identify hazards that may be approaching. Vehicles should be driven on stable surfaces with their loads evenly distributed to minimise the risk of overturning.
It is your responsibility as an employer to ensure that all vehicles are regularly maintained and in good working order.
In the news
At the end of last year, a Scottish construction company was fined £160,000 after admitting a breach of construction regulations and health and safety. In this tragic case, a worker was killed after being ejected and crushed by a telehandler vehicle that overturned whilst reversing near an embankment.
The HSE determined in their subsequent investigation that the company had not assessed the traffic route where the incident happened, nor had they put measures in place to ensure the route was suitable for use. The HSE also noted the uneven ground surface that made the likelihood of such an accident occurring to be greater.
Ultimately the lack of health and safety in this case resulted in the death of a worker that could have been avoided had the correct assessments and counter-measures been instigated. Whilst this might be a worst case scenario, it is a lesson for every business, please don’t let this happen to you.
How we can help safeguard your business
At The Health & Safety Dept we know how important it is to keep your staff and business safe from harm. After all, we are experts in it. Reach out to us today to discuss how we can help safeguard your business and workers from the risk of accident or fatality.
We are on hand to ensure risk assessments are completed and acted upon. We help you to effectively manage risks in a sensible and comprehensive way. If suitable, we can create method statements alongside risk assessments (RAMS) to ensure smart decision making, prevent misunderstandings, increase productivity and protect your business’s reputation.
We can provide online training through our eLearning courses, such as Banksman Essentials Training and we also offer Toolbox Talks on topics such as Transport Management, Safety Signs and Outdoor Working.
Whatever your needs are when it comes to keeping your staff safe and your business running smoothly, contact us today to get started.
