Company fined after worker dies on Barking building site

HSE/LON/206a/2009 8 June 2009

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging employers to ensure proper safety procedures are in place to make certain staff are kept safe when working on construction sites.

The call follows the prosecution of Bouygues (UK) Ltd today at Snaresbrook Crown Court, after an employee was struck by a reversing vehicle as he crossed a one-way vehicular traffic route within a construction site. The worker died at the scene.

Bouygues (UK) Ltd, based in East London, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2 (1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The court fined the company £160,000 and ordered them to pay costs of £21,698.20 and victim surcharge of £15.

The investigation followed an incident on 3 June 2005, when the company was building additional teaching accommodation at Eastbury School, Barking. The worker died after being struck by a reversing vehicle. He was carrying materials across a designated vehicle route from a storage area when he was hit.

Sandy Carmichael, HSE Inspector, said: "This tragic case highlights the risks from workplace transport. Every year a significant number of people are killed by moving vehicles on construction sites, and a larger number injured. Better training, planning and awareness would reduce a number of these incidents. But equally, if not more important, is that managers and directors make sure that someone is checking that control measures are in place and being used."

Notes to editors

1. Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 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 1974 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 exposed to risks to their health and safety."

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR (London and South East)