A waste company's "mixed messages" on safety may have contributed to an incident in which the driver of a refuse collection vehicle reversed over a female pedestrian, fatally injuring her. Team Waste (Southern) Ltd was fined £250,000 for breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 over the accident.
Anna Smith was hit by the vehicle as it reversed up a pedestrianised street in Brighton City Centre, at 6:20am on 5 March 2007. The driver, Colin Bullard, was working with a trained banksman (reversing assistant) who remained in the truck as Bullard reversed up the street. They did not realise they had struck Ms Smith until her body lay about three metres in front of vehicle. She died later in hospital as a result of her injuries.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the vehicle's rear blind spot covered an area of about 4m wide and extended 50m back. It also had a defective CCTV at the rear, and the audible reversing siren was functional but had been deactivated as the driver believed the use of such alarms was prohibited before 7:00am.
HSE principal inspector Russell Adfield described the fine as sending out a very strong message to the industry, and warned that even though technological devices can aid safety, "The use of a banksman is, by far, the most effective method of ensuring safety in incidents involving reversing vehicles." He also warned that it is not enough for companies to have policies in place - they must also ensure that workers are following them.
