The incident you are referring to The Militia was one of about four fatal accidents around the company that prompted the initiation of the Risk Assessments.
Another was at a Poole Store where a little old lady walked behind a reversing vehicle entering a store gateway and was killed, the first the driver knew was when she appeared from under the front bumper.
Another involved a lad that jumped off the loading bay as a lorry was reversing onto it to retrieve a pen he had dropped, again an unnecessary death.
Two more were depot related, one a young Agency Driver was crushed by his own runaway truck in my own depot at the time Kiln Farm, right on Christmas, he left behind two very young kiddies and another was a Security Guard was crushed between two Lorry's I believe in our old Albany depot.
People and vehicles do not mix well in confined spaces, as a Risk Assessor I have seen numerous cases of potential accidents waiting to happen.
I often watch deliveries take place and see the most idiotic practise's from people who think they have a safety shield around them, people tying shoelaces, packing blue trays for the Dot Com Vans, standing between cages or pallets all when the lorry is reversing towards them.
When challenged they look at me as if I am the idiot, that I have the problem, I hope the next time I read their names is not on the fatalities list, only time will tell.
Risk Assessors whether you love them or hate them have done a valuable job, I believe since we started not one Fatal Accident has occurred in a back door yard area.
Call me cynical but I believe that because that has been so successful for the past 6-7 years Tesco has decided to cut the numbers of Risk Assessors from around 40 to 8 for the whole of the UK and Ireland.
That roughly equates to one Assessor for about 222 Stores apiece, do you still think that the level of vigilance and care will be maintained in the future I certainly do not.
All Staffs please watch your backs in future as there will be fewer others doing it for you.
Fail to Prepare.
Prepare to Fail.
Kindest regards.
Billybong.