Recently a worker was seriously injured when he was struck by a moving vehicle in the yard at his workplace.   As the driver was manoeuvring to park behind a stationary vehicle, the floor mat slipped and the accelerator became stuck, causing his vehicle to move forward and pin the worker between both vehicles.

Contributing factors

• At the time of the incident, 'deep dish' type rubber floor mats were installed in the truck.  This type of mat has raised edges which capture loose material such as mud and grime from the footwear of drivers within the area of the floor mat.
• The vinyl flooring in the vehicle offered little resistance to the uncontrolled movement of the loosely-fitted rubber floor mats.   
• In this incident, the raised surface of the floor mat was caught under the accelerator pedal, causing it to jam when the floor mat slipped forward.

Action required

Consider the suitability and compatibility of rubber floor mats in vehicles with vinyl floor covering.  In order to maintain a safe workplace, these types of mats should not be installed unless the mats can be safely secured to prevent uncontrolled movement while the vehicle is being operated.