Reversing vehicles in yards: what operators should check after the latest HSE prosecution

A recent HSE prosecution is a clear reminder that yard movements can create serious people and insurance risk. A worker suffered life-changing injuries after being struck by a reversing flat-bed truck, and the case centred on weak separation between vehicles and pedestrians.

For transport operators, couriers, tipper firms and businesses with loading yards, the lesson is practical. Reversing is not just a driving issue. It is a site-layout, supervision, evidence and staff-safety issue.

HSE published the case on 23 June 2026. The company was fined £125,000 and ordered to pay £150,000 in costs after the sentencing hearing. HSE also said nearly one in four workplace vehicle deaths involving workplace transport occur during reversing.

 

What this means for operators

Many operators spend a lot of time thinking about road risk. That is right, but the yard can be just as important.

Vehicles reverse into loading bays. Forklifts move between stock and trailers. Visiting drivers arrive without knowing the site. Staff walk across familiar routes because they have always done it that way.

That everyday familiarity can make the risk feel normal. The problem is that a serious yard incident can test several parts of the business at once. There may be an HSE investigation, injury support, disruption, liability questions, vehicle damage, contract pressure and difficult conversations with staff.

Cover depends on the policy wording and the circumstances. Depending on the facts, the insurance discussion may involve motor, liability or personal accident arrangements. The important point is that the operational evidence needs to match the risk.

 

Where problems usually appear

Reversing incidents often start with a simple layout problem.

A yard has no clear pedestrian route. A loading area relies on habit rather than marked systems. Drivers reverse because there is no practical one-way route. Banksmen are used informally, without training or consistent rules.

Problems also appear where visiting vehicles are involved. A delivery driver may not know where to wait, who controls the movement or whether pedestrians are nearby. If the site has no clear instructions, the business may struggle to show how the risk was managed.

In our experience, the insurance file is stronger when the safety file is strong. That does not mean paperwork for its own sake. It means records that show the business has thought about how vehicles and people move around the same space.

 

What to check now

• Walk the site at a busy time. Look for pedestrian shortcuts, blind corners, reversing pinch points and shared loading areas.
• Reduce reversing where possible. One-way systems, drive-through loading and clearer traffic flow can remove some of the risk.
• Mark pedestrian routes clearly. Paint, barriers, signs and waiting areas should make the safe route obvious.
• Brief visiting drivers. Tell them where to report, where to wait and who controls vehicle movements.
• Review banksman arrangements. If banksmen are used, make sure the role, signals and training are clear.
• Keep evidence of checks. Record layout reviews, near misses, training, repairs and changes after incidents.
• Review your cover. Check whether your personal accident, liability and commercial vehicle arrangements still fit the way the site operates.

 

Talk to Ratcliffes

If vehicles, drivers and pedestrians share space in your yard, it is worth checking that your insurance still reflects the real operating risk. Call Ratcliffes on 01242 544544 to discuss your transport insurance, personal accident arrangements or the cover questions raised by workplace vehicle movements.

 

Sources

• HSE, “Company fined after employee seriously injured by reversing flat-bed truck”, 23 June 2026
• HSE, workplace transport case archive, accessed June 2026
• HSE, workplace transport safety guidance, accessed June 2026