Inexperienced Teen Crushed By Forklift

A 17-year-old teenager who was operating a defective forklift in a construction yard in Portsmouth, UK, died suddenly when the machine overturned and crushed him.

A jury learned that Joey Knowles worked as a laborer for his uncle’s company, but the young man was not properly trained to drive the forklift around the yard. An investigation also revealed that the machine was defective. For example, there were problems with the steering mechanism, and the brakes were ineffective. It was also discovered that the driver’s seat was unsecured and there was no seatbelt.

According to Knowles’ older brother, the teenager had been spinning the vehicle before it overturned.  Accidental death was the verdict delivered by the jury. However, Britain’s Health and Safety Executive is continuing to investigate.

Are you confident that only qualified operators are using your forklifts, and doing so responsibly? If an OSHA or OHS inspector showed up and began inspecting your lift trucks, would you be confident that they would pass a safety inspection?