Posted By Luke.
Hi Michael,

Unfortunately, whether the IPs accident happened at work or not is irrelevant once the IP CLAIMS the injury happened at work. Once he has done that, the onus is then on the company to report to HSE (if it falls into RIDDOR guidelines).

It seems like a fairly open and shut one, just speak to him, get his involvement.. ask him (in a nice way) if this has been a problem, why has he not brought this to your attention - get his involvement. Also ask him what he would class as suitable access & egress for a man of his build...

Posted By John J
Michael,

I'd be looking at beefing your accident reporting procedure up. I expect accidents reported the same day or, if something has appeared over night, the next day either in person or phoning in. This includes accidents that happen at weekend.
There is no excuse for late reporting, if you don't know about it you can't stop it happening to someone else,

John

Posted By Ron Hunter
People falling in and out of vans - a not uncommon lost-time injury scenario.
If this is frequent activity then R/A should be looking beyond the factory-fitted slippy steel plate either side of the tow-bar and considering the reasonably practical approach of fitting proper permanent or fold-down steps, along with a consideration of the volume and height of the cargo space.

Posted By steve e ashton
Agree with Bob...

Every risk assessment is completed with certain basic assumptions underlying the conclusions.

Unless those assumptions are spelled out clearly and explicitly, it is inevitaable that sooner or later one of the assumptions will prove to be unfounded, and misfortune will follow.

So - the 'loading and unloading of vehicles' RA might specify underlying assumptions to include: Dry conditions, not excessively windy (?windspeed limits specified?) Personnel undertaking duties trained, reasonably alert, reasonably fit, normal height, wearing loose clothing, etc etc etc..

Alternatively, and equally validly (and requiring much less bureaucracy to fill out in the assessments) the operator training might include a review of the assessment with every employee doing the job, with a specific request for them to identify any areas of concern - both on starting the job and periodically afterwards. Thus tall people might complain of banging their heads on the frame or the door catch, visually impaired may complain at lack of contrast on edge markings -and the vertically challenged may ask for stairs with smaller risers.

In other words, any risk assessment (and the management control measures resulting) must be appropriate for the people doing the job. It's no use claiming 'we've done the assessment so we are covered' if the assessment does not take account of individual differences...

There's legislation to require such specific considerations for young persons and for expectant mothers - but it must be seen as normal "good practice" for other differences as well.

Steve

Posted By Bob Youel
I investigated a case where the IP was so small she had to get inside a chest freezer to clean it - changes to an upright sorted the problem -& turned out to be better all round!

Posted By D. Hilton
Raymond

It can if you base it on the 95th percentile of the ethnic model applicable to the individuals concerned

Sorry yto resurrect this, but I saw this:

http://www.shponline.co....know&article_id=9515

and I thought of you...

The '95th percentile' is not going to include many of the less able in our society... RA should be appropriate to the people carrying out the task - not just the middle range fit healthy, middle sized, middle visioned, middle hearinged etc etc etc...

Steve