Quite right too. If the H&S brigade carry on we won’t be allowed out of the house in the morning, never mind near a wagon. People should be more responsible for their own actions. It isn’t always someone elses fault and people should realise that. People will always have accidents, if we didn’t we’d be like robots.
hammer:
People will always have accidents,
Americans would tell you that “There are no accidents - someone is always to blame to a greater or lesser degree!” 
paul@midway:
Here is a thought .
If i owned my own haulage company and a driver had fell off the back of a trailer because of his or her careless actions and not taking their own health and safety into account I would only pay them what is legally required . If a driver then said to me that is no good i’m going to claim against you for compensation , that driver would never do another days work for me .
In other words sacked !
That is worth bearing in mind .
If that happened, I’d hope you didn’t like the company you owned because they’d take you to the cleaners.
paul@midway:
"Where there is blame there is a claim " does not fit into the accident being discussed here .Trying to claim for compensation for an accident which is clearly you’re own fault is taking the urine .Nothing to do with damaged equipment or anything like that , simply stepping off into thin air .
Trust me , like i said if i had my own haulage firm a driver trying to pull that stunt for moaning about the sick pay would be handed a P45.
And believe me, you’d be bankrupted with the compensation you’d be told to pay by an ET.
All the driver has to do is say that you didn’t provide the equipment to do the job safely and that he feared he would be disciplined or sacked for refusing to strap it down in the manner described.
Coffeeholic:
Are these steps the full width of the trailer, or full length if you have the side open and are strapping? If not then you can still step off into fresh air.Those ladders for helping you get into the back of the trailer aren’t that safe anyway. a couple of weeks ago I pulled one out on the back of a DHL trailer, so I could climb up and close the shutter, in the process the ladder came out and trapped my thumb between it and the trailer. Hurt like hell and now my thumbnail is a3/4 black, purple and red. No one else was involved but who should I be suing for my stupidity?
THe Jewsons steps…
THe steps have railings up the sides and at the top is a platform area about say 3ft square with waist height hand rails.
The platforms for getting in the back of the trailer should be the full width of the trailer and over a pallet deep with steps at one end for access.
We all get bumps and scrapes at work. It’s all part of LIFE. But a lot of it is avoidable through the simplest of measures. I once caught a finger on a sign that was attached to a door. A plastic sign that should have been trimmed with a border of mastic after fitment. It hadn’t, and, pushing open the door, whilst talking and looking the other way, the corner of the sign went under a finger nail and pierced the skin. Not a big deal. A bit uncomfortable for the day, but avoidable had the sign been fitted properly. I can’t even remember what the sign says, but it is probably to the effect that “Hi-vis must be worn beyond this point.” 
I currently have an issue with one of the companies where I work in relation to lights in trailers (Reefers). They rarely work. The fitters assure me that they are checked as part of the maintenance schedule, but that the moisture and cold temperatures play havoc with the bulbs and fittings. My answer, “Buy better bulbs.” Those in my fridge at home work fine and last. Even ‘walk in’ freezers have lights that don’t fail every fifteen minutes.
Invariably, when I’ve got a trailer from one of the other depots, the lights work, but on our own trailers, they seldom do.
Having to load/unload, in total darkness, except from the lights of the ‘visiting’ FLT is a recipe for an injury.
I’d be the first to maintain that it is impossible to eliminate ‘risk’, but there is a duty to ‘manage’ risk, both by the employer and the employee.
Going back to the original incident. Let us say that if the vehicle had been pre-loaded in daylight hours, and that the ‘loaders’ should have identified a need for ‘strapping’, but had failed to carry out that operation (leaving it for the driver) and had then allowed the vehicle to be moved to a ‘less advantageous’ location, then I think the matter would be worthy of a claim.
One of the worst places that I have encountered in recent months is the Christian Salvesen traywash at Tewksbury. Even in daylight hours, loading black coloured trays, on a pump truck, the lighting levels are so pathetic that you are effectively working in near darkness.
It’s because of guys like this that I have to wear HiViz when I hate the things … I get constantly told off for wearing my ‘French safety slippers’ instead of toe tectors. I get glared at when I walk across a yard in my shorts and safety slippers and get told off as soon as I walk into a Office.
I have a brain and I use it … tis works a lot better at protecting me than a HiViz and toe tectors will
Conor:
paul@midway:
"Where there is blame there is a claim " does not fit into the accident being discussed here .Trying to claim for compensation for an accident which is clearly you’re own fault is taking the urine .Nothing to do with damaged equipment or anything like that , simply stepping off into thin air .
Trust me , like i said if i had my own haulage firm a driver trying to pull that stunt for moaning about the sick pay would be handed a P45.And believe me, you’d be bankrupted with the compensation you’d be told to pay by an ET.
All the driver has to do is say that you didn’t provide the equipment to do the job safely and that he feared he would be disciplined or sacked for refusing to strap it down in the manner described.
Who said who had what equipment , what equpiment , what straps , what aids , what cameras , what security bloke that "seen it all " All i have read is a dip ■■■■ that has stepped into fresh air by his own admittance and now wants to claim , you will go down the road alright Right after left P45 in hand , get walking …
This is ridiculous it really is 
I’m so stupid i will step off the trailer and hurt myself and then blame it on the company and then have a brain ■■■■ and go for a claim , all out of my own stupidity …
Sort your self out , live by the lesson and don’t do it again .
Jesus H almighty Christ …
You could tinker with some reverse warnings and the sensors …
"warning a ■■■■■■■ that will take you to the cleaners is reversing off the trailer "
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP "warning a ■■■■■■■ that will you take you to the cleaners is reversing off the trailer " BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP …
I’ts not often i involve myself in such threads , personal safety mate , that is your responsibility , not the companies , you admitted you didn’t realise and stepped off into thin air , why is that your companies fault ?
It’s blokes like you that take 50 k and them moan about a crappy pay rise
Sorry i can’t help myself , anyone would think i’ve never seen it all before , you know ! Moaning ■■■■ drivers
Seems to be a lot of Mr.perfercts and know it alls reading this thread.
paul cheers for ya pathetic comments maybe you need the kids forum.
killer100:
Seems to be a lot of Mr.perfercts and know it alls reading this thread.
41 posts K100 and youve sussed us all out …Mind you some know it all a bit more than others dont they Richie 
And yeah im as pretty close to perfect as your gonna find round here 
killer100:
paul cheers for ya pathetic comments .
When a post looks a bit OTT, I take a look at the time of posting. Sometimes it gives you an idea if it was the actual username who posted or maybe John Smiths, Jack Daniels or some of their mates!!
It has been known for ‘Dogs ■■■■■■■■’ from the Eastenders to interfere with some of my late o’ clock posts. 
The way i read it the guy only wants a wage whilst he’s off sick, he can’t get it so he’s looking into if he has a claim. Are a lot of you that unsympathetic you don’t think he deservs one?
Mike-C:
The way i read it the guy only wants a wage whilst he’s off sick, he can’t get it so he’s looking into if he has a claim. Are a lot of you that unsympathetic you don’t think he deservs one?
Hey if he can get it then good on him…I think the general concensus is that he wont be able too though but if you dont try you dont get.
I wouldnt know though coz im so perfect ive never had an accident 
This thread also highlights the fact that in the job we do the potential for getting hurt, either through our stupidity or negligence of others is high so a little planning doesn’t go amiss. Even if you do have a valid claim against your employer, or anyone else, as highlighted in the other thread by euromatt it can take months if not years to be settled and everyone is aware that most places only pay SSP these days. A personal accident and sickness policy cost very little on the scale of things, a couple of quid a week would get you fairly decent cover and you can often buy them in modules, the more modules you can afford or want the more cover.
If it’s an accident caused by an employer not providing the correct equipment or forcing unsafe practises on people than claim, claim and claim again. But when it is down to our own muppetry then I don’t see how any claim is valid or fair.
At the end of the day i reckon you have shot your bolt as it where . Not happy threaten a claim , the boss says lets discuss this and you say NO it’s too late I’m claiming .
I stand by what i say , i would sack you .
You fell off a trailer and by your own admittance it is your fault , get a bloody grip .
If you do claim and get paid an undeserved sum , don’t moan about a crap pay rise .
Coffeeholic:
A personal accident and sickness policy cost very little on the scale of things, a couple of quid a week would get you fairly decent cover and you can often buy them in modules, the more modules you can afford or want the more cover.
I have something similar although it also includes life (or death, I suppose 
) cover. 15 units, which is the max, costs me £67 per month. I think it’s due to go up soon as well.
Having said that, I was getting £1500 per week when I was in hospital having a wrecked shoulder rebuilt/screwed together in Aug 2001 (I managed to ‘refuse’ to leave hospital for 3 weeks!!! ).
TheBear:
It’s because of guys like this that I have to wear HiViz when I hate the things … I get constantly told off for wearing my ‘French safety slippers’ instead of toe tectors. I get glared at when I walk across a yard in my shorts and safety slippers and get told off as soon as I walk into a Office
If you cant abide by the rules you shouldnt be in the job then.
Hi-Viz and protective boots/shoes is for safety not just because you hate the things…