The Port of Felixstowe has announced new health and safety measures after the investigation regarding the accident that almost crushed a truck driver in April.
Readers may recall that the accident occurred as a result of a 40ft shipping container being inadvertently lowered on top of a lorry.
Its driver was in the cab at the time, but fortunately a trucker nearby jumped out of his vehicle to push the auto-stop button. That paused the container and allowed the driver in the cab to avoid serious injury or worse.
The Fire Brigade had to be called to free the driver from the wreckage, and the trucker was taken to an Ipswich hospital. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured.
A full investigation was then conducted to find out the circumstances that caused the accident and suggest solutions for avoiding a repeat in the future.
That investigation has now been completed, and a Port of Felixstowe spokesperson has confirmed the measures that are being introduced:
“A full investigation has been undertaken by the port and a report submitted to the health and safety executive. The report found that the haulier was incorrectly parked and was not seen by the crane driver. To avoid a repetition, the order in which cranes handle vehicles has been changed, improved training aids are being provided for hauliers and two new cameras are being installed which significantly improve the view for the crane driver. These measures have been agreed with the HSE.”
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