Blind OAP killed by reversing mail lorry

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wal ... -20015059/

A blind pensioner was knocked down by a reversing Royal Mail lorry and dragged for more than 20 metres, an inquest heard today.

Thomas Jones, 71, had been visiting the Royal Mail depot on Tremains Road, Bridgend, south Wales, when he was hit by the truck in October 2002.

One of the first people on the scene was ex-Wales rugby international JPR Williams, who treated Mr Jones before he was taken to hospital.

The lorry driver, Alistair Evans, told Bridgend Coroner’s Court he was reversing out of the loading bay when he suddenly noticed a walking stick on the ground in front of the lorry.

When he got out of the cab he saw Mr Jones lying behind the lorry, he said.

Mr Evans said he had looked in both mirrors before moving the vehicle and had been taught to reverse out of the depot when he received his training.

But Gweirydd Williams, of Bridgend Council’s health and safety department, said that following the collision he issued Royal Mail with an improvement notice.

"There were problems with people coming onto the site and traffic," he said.

Those improvement works were subsequently carried out, he said, but Royal Mail was fined £200,000 after admitting two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act and a breach of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

PC Clive Barber, who attended the incident, said: "Mr Jones had been placed in the recovery position by JPR Williams who happened to be passing the scene just after it occurred."

The officer said Mr Jones was then taken to hospital but died shortly afterwards.

A post mortem revealed My Jones died of multiple injuries.

Coroner Philip Walters returned a verdict of accidental death and extended his sympathies to both Mrs Yvonne Williams, a friend of Mr Jones’ for 30 years, and the lorry driver.

Mrs Williams, of Pencoed, near Bridgend, said afterwards: "I did feel sorry for the driver, but the exit had been locked for many years and the lorries would go in and out of the entrance.

"It would have stopped the accident happening if that bottom gate had been open."

She said Mr Jones was very independent despite not being able to see and knew exactly how many steps it took to reach the depot from his front door.

"If he knew a lorry was reversing he would stand still so someone could take him out of danger. He never envisaged it would run over him."

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "We pleaded guilty at the court case in June 2003 and we accepted the decision of the court in this particularly tragic case.

"We would like to once again offer our sincere condolences to the relatives and close friends of Mr Jones.

"As a business, we are acutely aware of our responsibilities regarding health and safety matters. We acknowledged that we failed these responsibilities at Bridgend.

"Safety – of our people as well as our customers – must be at the top of our agenda as a company.

"As a result of this incident, we strengthened our management of safety issues, reviewed processes and procedures, especially regarding public access to Royal Mail Group buildings and reviewed our risk assessment on vehicle management in all 1,400 delivery offices across the UK.

"We are determined that circumstances such as those which occurred at Bridgend will never be allowed to happen again on any of our premises.

[brothermagrew]

Teebs

I mentioned this incident in my Blue Shirts posting Hazards in the Workplace a wee while back.

[andy2007]

Why had the exit been locked for many years?!?!?

Why wasn't there a lookout, for when the Drivers go through the entrance?

Yet another example of the lax attitude to Health and Safety from managers.

That poor Driver will have to live with what happened for the rest of his life. Even though it sounds like he did everything "by the book".

What's RMs penalty for that.... A fine, which they will probably have been able to claim from their Insurance!

Does anyone know how the Driver is doing?