A refuse company has been fined £1 million this month after a worker was run over and killed.
Canterbury Crown Court heard how in October 2013 an employee of a waste company, Veolia ES (UK) Limited, suffered fatal injuries after he was run over by a reversing refuse vehicle (RCV), whilst he was walking across the yard at a depot waste transfer station.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 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 was found guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, fined £1 million and ordered to pay costs of £130,000.
HSE inspector, Kevin Golding commented: "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".
