UK HSE: fall from height injury at container port
- Safety Flash
- Published on 25 September 2024
- Generated on 18 October 2025
- IMCA SF 19/24
- 2 minute read
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a logistics company after a worker fell over 10 metres and sustained serious injuries.
What happened?
The worker fell through an open hole in the driver’s cab of a straddle carrier, landing on the concrete floor below. The hole had been created by contractors who were replacing a glass floor. See press release.
What went wrong?
- The worker, who was undertaking routine maintenance work, was unaware of the open hole before falling onto the floor.
- The worker’s employer had failed to ensure there was a safe system of work at its site – there should have been a system in place that ensured the replacement of the glass floor and routine maintenance work could be carried out safely at the same time.
- The company also failed to ensure there was a risk assessment in place.
- The company failed to implement its own policy for the use of permits to work whilst working at height.
Lessons to learn
Before performing a similar task, persons involved should be asking the following questions:
- Are you aware of what is going on around you? Take nothing for granted, particularly when working at height.
- How are you dealing with simultaneous operations?
- How are you dealing with the complexities of ensuring safe operations if multiple contractors are working at the same worksite at the same time?
- Is your risk assessment suitable and sufficient? Some recent Safety Flash incidents highlight cases where risk assessment was not specific enough.
- Are you following your OWN company rules?
Members may wish to refer to:
IMCA M 023 Guidance on simultaneous operations (SIMOPS)
IMCA HSS 032 Guidance on safety in shipyards
Related Safety Flashes
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IMCA SF 05/22
28 February 2022
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IMCA SF 19/17
2 August 2017
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