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Veolia fine: £1m after reversing vehicle death

A refuse collection company has been fined £1m after a worker was run over and killed.

Canterbury Crown Court heard how, on 18 October 2013, Veolia ES (UK) Limited’s employee Mr John Head suffered fatal injuries when he was run over by a reversing refuse collection vehicle (RCV) whilst he was walking across the yard, at the Ross Depot Waste Transfer Station in Folkestone. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The HSE’s investigation found that multiple vehicles, including RCVs and articulated lorries, were manoeuvring around the yard with no specific controls.

The company failed to adequately assess the risks involved in the yard and did not implement industry recognised control measures to protect employees.

Veolia ES (UK) Limited of Pentonville Road, London was found guilty after a trial of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £1 million and ordered to pay costs of £130,000.

HSE Inspector Kevin Golding said: “This should be a reminder to all industries, but in particular, the waste industry, to appropriately assess the risks and implement widely recognised control measures to adequately control manoeuvring vehicles, in particular reversing vehicles and restrict pedestrian movements around vehicles.”

According to the latest set of annual workplace fatality figures, released by the HSE, there were 12 fatal injuries to waste and recycling workers between April 2017 and March 2018.

Two sentenced after asbestos disturbed

A landlord and building contractor have been fined after the release of large quantities of asbestos fibres following the demolition of a conservatory at a rented property.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court was told how the landlord commissioned a building contractor to replace a conservatory containing asbestos panels at a property in Selly Oak, Birmingham between 18 and 29 August 2017. Asbestos was spread as the panels were removed in a haphazard and uncontained way.

The HSE’s investigation found that the landlord should have had an asbestos survey carried out prior to work beginning, and the building contractor should not have started work without one. The building contractor took no precautions and asbestos was spread to the home, contents and next door.

Wah Kei Dany Ng of Penns Lane, Sutton Coldfield pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and was fined £1,200 with costs of £607.21.

Jasvir Singh Sangha of Tunnel Road, West Bromwich pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 5 and 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was sentenced to 150 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £596.61.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Gareth Langston said: “Asbestos surveys need to be carried out prior to any construction work which disturbs the fabric of a structure.”

 Innovation in construction – Making near miss reporting easier

SHP speaks to Steve Broom, Safety, Sustainability and Training Director at Dyer & Butler, about a Close Call Reporting System which has made the reporting of close calls involving unsafe acts and conditions simpler and has resulted in a reduction in the company’s AFR.