Each year people suffer serious and fatal injuries in NSW due to incidents involving the uncontrolled movement (roll away) of vehicles, including cars, trucks, buses, vans, forklifts, tractors, mobile cranes etc. In most incidents the operator was not in the driver's seat at the time of the incident, including;
- in 2015 worker suffered fatal crush injuries as a result of the uncontrolled movement of a concrete agitating truck in which he was operating.
- in 2017 a worker sustained fractures and de-gloving injuries as a result of being crushed between a skip bin transport vehicle and a fixed structure.
- in 2017 a worker sustained permanent injuries as a result of a roll-away vehicle when he crawled under the vehicle to investigate a mechanical fault.
To avoid the uncontrolled movement of vehicles, always ensure;
- the vehicle is parked on level ground,
- the parking brake is applied when exiting the vehicle,
- the vehicle is inspected and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations,
- workers have the necessary training, experience and supervision to identify hazards to control the risks associated with the uncontrolled movement of vehicles.
The Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act details the duties of a PCBU, officer, workers and others, in regards to the management of risks and the primary duty of care.
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