Forklift driver fined over truck driver’s death

Harvey Fresh forklift driver Gypsum Metallica Rongonvi Hoff-Higgins was fined $7200 plus $800 court costs at Harvey Magistrates Court yesterday for the death of a truck driver at Harvey Fresh in 2014.

The driver died from a fall while he was washing his truck and Mr Hoff-Higgins pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable care of the safety of another person.

The fatal accident happened when the truck driver asked Mr Hoff-Higgins to collect a pallecon to wash the roof of his truck.

The forklift driver raised the pallecon with the truck driver and his cleaning equipment in the air but when the driver was in the process of washing, he moved to the left causing the pallecon to tip and fall from the forklift.

The driver fell to the ground and the pallecon fell on top of him, causing fatal head injuries.

WorkSafe WA Commissioner Lex McCulloch said a number of alternatives were available to clean the roof of the truck.

“As the holder of a High Risk Work Licence and holder of responsibility in this situation, Mr Hoff-Higgins should have known better than to agree to such a dangerous course of action,” Mr McCulloch said.

“This case should serve as a reminder to all employers that safe systems of work must be in place, and these safe systems must be known and adhered to by all employees.”

More details in next week’s Harvey-Waroona Reporter