SafeWork SA is urging bus drivers to take extra care when stopping their vehicle following a recent accident in the Barossa Valley.
The incident occurred on February 20 after the driver stopped the bus to inspect it, and it rolled about 10 metres down an incline, knocking her down and rolling over her. SafeWork inspectors attended the scene and enquiries are continuing.
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There have been four South Australian deaths where workers have been struck by a roll-away vehicle since 2020 and in the same period, there have also been 12 serious injuries and eight reports of property damage caused by vehicle roll-aways.
“Vehicle roll-away incidents in South Australia were almost always preventable,” SafeWork SA executive director Glenn Farrell says.
“Eliminating the risk of a vehicle roll-away should be a priority for all businesses and drivers, given the devastating consequences that can eventuate.”
A roll-away incident involves the unintentional movement of a vehicle because it has not been safely immobilised. In most incidents the predominant cause is that the handbrake has not been engaged or is ineffective.
Roll-aways can occur with any type of mobile plant including cars, forklifts, trucks, tractors, trailers, passenger vehicles and heavy machinery. Roll-aways can occur on worksites, car parks, maintenance yards or when a vehicle is parked on the side of the road.
This can include when the vehicle brakes are not adequately applied or engaged, when doing repairs on the vehicle, during loading and unloading, or when coupling or uncoupling a truck and trailer.
Vehicles, that have not been safely immobilised roll-away, create a risk to people who could be hit, crushed, trapped or run over, leading to serious injuries or fatalities. Injuries can also occur when a person tries to enter or exit a vehicle that has begun to roll-away.
“This is a reminder to businesses to ensure immobilising and braking systems are fully maintained and operational on all types of vehicles, and to drivers, for everyone’s sake, apply the break,” Farrell says.