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Significant fine imposed after reversing telehandler causes site death
Bouygues (UK) Ltd have been fined £160k and ordered to pay over £20k in prosecution costs at Snaresbrook Crown Court London, after a workman was struck by a reversing telehandler whilst crossing a one-way site traffic route. He died at the scene.
The incident occurred in June 2005 during construction of a new teaching accomodation block at Eastbury School, Barking. The pedestrian 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”
Bouygues are reported to have commented: “The events that took place at Barking in 2005 and Waltham Forest in 2007 are deeply regrettable. As a construction organisation Bouygues UK is committed to health and safety at every level and has undertaken a thorough investigation of the health and safety processes employed across the company to prevent this kind of event from happening again. In both cases, Bouygues UK has co-operated fully with the Health and Safety Executive and will continue to do so for all health and safety matters.”
Comment: Telehandlers are the second biggest cause of plant related deaths on construction projects (20%) after excavators (33%). An HSE warning for telehandler users was issued in 2005 suggesting measures to reduce the risk. These include:
- improved traffic routes, pedestrian segregation, elimination of reversing;
- changes to other operating parameters (e.g. delivery and loading points);
- consideration of the choice or mix of plant used, and
- provision of additional visibility aids (such as mirrors or CCTV) on the vehicle and/or at areas of restricted visibility in consultation with hirers, suppliers and/or manufacturers of the plant concerned.