Companies fined after worker's leg crushed: Site owners warned of the dangers of reversing vehicles

E092:06 12 September 2006

Site owners and managers are today warned of the danger of moving vehicles after two companies were fined last week following a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Aggregate Industries UK Limited (Bardon Contracting division) and Tripod Crest Planing Limited were each fined £25,000 after pleading guilty to breaches of Sections 2(1) and 3(1) respectively of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at the Central Criminal Court in London on Friday 8 September.

HSE Inspector Alec Ferguson said, "Most of the men on site had worked together before. However, despite both Bardon and Tripod having recognised the risk of injury from reversing vehicles, and taking account of this in their method statements, the visiting lorry driver received no site induction about safe reversing from either company on site."

The incident occurred on South Lambeth Road, London SW8 on the night of 14 January 2003. Bardon Contracting employee Stephen Bood, aged 53, was marking a driveline on the road surface for the Tripod Planing machine to follow. With his back turned he did not see a lorry from Tripod's haulage subcontractor reversing towards him. The lorry ran over the length of Mr Bood's leg, crushing them severely. Mr. Bood is still recovering from his injuries.

Notes to editors

1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act states: It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.
2. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act states: It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.
3. The maximum penalty at Crown Court for each of these offences is an unlimited fine.
4. Further information on construction safety can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm and on workplace transport safety at: www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm

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