WorkSafe has released a new safety alert which highlights the danger of being crushed by the collapsible seat frame fitted to some Kooi-Aap truck mounted/piggyback forklift trucks (TMFs).

The alert follows a recent fatality in Victoria when a Kooi-Aap TMF was being used to transfer rolls of turf from a truck. The operator is said to have been reversing when the vehicle overturned 90 degrees backwards.

The TMF’s protective frame collapsed in on itself, trapping and fatally injuring its operator.

According to WorkSafe, some protective frames are fixed while others are designed to collapse inwards to meet VicRoads and other states’ load dimension requirements.

The TMF involved in the fatality was a 1997 model Kooi-Aap three-wheeled piggyback forklift truck, manufactured in the Netherlands.

WorkSafe says the vehicle’s protective structure comprised of a hinged folding frame that locked in place with a locking mechanism under the seat. This locking mechanism wasn’t able to withstand the forces exerted on it during the overturn because there was nothing on the hinge to prevent inadvertent folding.

The authority advises protective frames on recent model (2000 and later) Kooi-Aap TMFs have a spring applied latching device over the hinge to prevent this folding.

According to WorkSafe, the reduction of risk may be achieved by an appropriate combination of control measures such as: roll-over protective structure; falling object protective structure; operator restraining device; and seat belt.

If operating a Kooi-Aap TMF with a collapsible frame, WorkSafe recommends fitting an appropriate positive locking mechanism to the protective frame. This is said to ensure the frame and seat remain secure during a 90 degree overturn.