2 July 2009 Untrained forklift driver left in a vegetative state following accident While this accident occurred in another industry, the problem is the same throughout all areas in our industry where a forklift is used. The message is clear and simple – DO NOT ALLOW AN UNQUALIFIED PERSON TO DRIVE A FORKLIFT. ASIXA – A Logistics company in Victoria - has been convicted and fined $250,000 after a labour hire worker was left in a permanent vegetative state following an unloading accident. Asixa pleaded guilty to two workplace health and safety charges laid as a result of the July 2006 incident. The injured man had been employed by Black & White Recruitment Solutions, a labour hire company, but was a deemed employee of Asixa. He had been using a forklift to unload a 700kg crate of glass from a truck at Asixa’s warehouse when it fell on him. The man who was hurt and driving the forklift did not have a certificate of competency to operate the machine and he had not been given information, instruction or training on the newly introduced forklift. The large crate of glass would not fit onto the forklift properly, and the forklift driver got off to adjust the load, when it fell on him. Asixa made safety improvements after the event, including assessment and training of forklift operators, new risk assessments and induction policies, training for unsecured or problem freight, as well as first aid training for a number of employees.