A construction worker had a lucky escape when the forklift truck he was driving toppled over and crashed onto beach huts on Lyme Regis seafront.
The worker was unloading materials when the vehicle, known as a telehandler, toppled over with its extended boom dropping over the side of the main parade and smashing three private beach huts. Fortunately, he managed to scramble out of the damaged cab uninjured.
A couple walking along the promenade also had a lucky escape, since they had walked past the accident scene only seconds before and were just 30 metres away when the telehandler came crashing down.
The incident was considered so serious that the Health and Safety Executive were immediately informed.
Ian Thompson, who witnessed the drama, commented, "I had taken quite an interest in the site as I am an out of work site manager and had considered the site as a logistical and health and safety nightmare.
The telehandler looked to be fully extended and the driver started to make a right turn on a downward slope. At this point the telehandler started to lean over. It felt like slow motion as the telehandler arm fell over on to the beach huts.
I did overhear the driver in a somewhat emotional state claiming that he had no warning of the incident as the vehicle's tilt alarm or safe working load alarm did not give any indication of the impending accident."
Town clerk Mike Lewis issued the following statement, "A team of senior executives from the company including the in-house health and safety officer and external H&S advisers attended the site within two hours, from which an incident report will be compiled, in addition to that of the HSE in due course. Only then can official commentary be given as to the reasons behind the incident but meanwhile the contractor and sub-contractors with their advisers will naturally establish sufficient information and review their method(s) of working to be able to proceed with the works safely ensuring of course no such incident can re-occur."
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