UK fork lift fatality capital? Halton, Cheshire
UK's fork lift fatality capital? Halton, Cheshire
Northern suburb has most fork lift truck deaths in Britain
More workers are killed in fork lift truck accidents in Halton, Cheshire than anywhere else in the UK, according to new figures from national industry body the Fork Lift Truck Association.
In a public statement released to coincide with National Fork Lift Safety Week, the Association confirmed that the borough, which comprises the towns of Widnes and Runcorn and has a population of just 118,000 people, has nevertheless seen three people killed in fork lift-related incidents in the last seven years alone.
The figure puts the area in an unenviable position on top of the UK’s ten deadliest areas for working with fork lift trucks:
The 10 Worst Areas for Fork Lift Truck Fatalities: 1. Halton, Cheshire 2. Ribble Valley, Lancashire 3. Mendip, Somerset 4. South Kesteven, Lincolnshire 5. Carmarthenshire, Wales 6. Solihull, West Midlands 7. Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland 8. Alnwick, Northumberland 9. Melton, Leicestershire 10. Castle Morpeth, Northumberland The North-West is home to a string of accident-prone areas
Indeed, new accident maps (see above) reveal that the whole North West region is a national hotspot for serious fork lift truck accidents – with workers being hospitalised and killed on a regular basis in locations throughout Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.
The news corroborates a statement made by the FLTA earlier this week, warning Northern workers that they are twice as likely to be involved in a fork lift truck accident as their Southern counterparts.
FLTA representatives believe that the shocking announcements can themselves help to reduce the accident toll, by raising awareness during its Safety Week campaign, 21st – 27th September.
Chief executive David Ellison said: “This is not just a message for fork lift truck operators.
“Two thirds of accidents involve pedestrians and, with fork lift trucks on thousands of sites across the region – including public places like garden centres and DIY stores – literally anyone can become a victim if they’re not vigilant.
“The message is simple: please, take extra care when around the vehicles – never assume that you’ve been seen, and above all, look out for each other.”