Kier fined £1.8m after worker killed on road repair job

Grant Prior 7 years ago
Share

Kier and a road building subcontractor have been fined after a worker was fatally struck on a highways repair job near Lidgate in Suffolk.

Ipswich Magistrates’ Court heard that Kier Integrated Services Ltd was the principal contractor for the roadworks and Sean Hegarty Ltd was the subcontractor on surface repairs to the B1063 for Suffolk County Council.

On 13 May 2014, workers from Sean Hegarty Ltd were using a road planer to remove the old tar from the south bound side of the road, while the north bound side had traffic lights to control the direction of the traffic.

During this operation, the driver of the company’s flatbed lorry observed Aiden Gallagher lying in the road to the offside rear of his vehicle, which had been reversing slowing behind the road planer’s conveyor belt to collect the debris the planer scraped from the road surface.

The man was taken to hospital, but died of his extensive injuries.

The HSE prosecuted Kier Integrated Services Ltd and Sean Hegarty Ltd after an investigation found the companies failed to ensure that the operation of the road planer was carried out in such a manner to ensure vehicles and pedestrians could move safely around the roadworks.

Kier Integrated Services Ltd of Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to safety breaches abd was fined £1.8m and ordered to pay £12,405 in costs.

Sean Hegarty Ltd of Felixstowe also pleaded guilty and was fined £75,000 and ordered to pay £12,405 in costs.

A Kier statement said: “We acknowledge and accept the sentencing decision of the Court and wish to convey our sincerest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of Aiden Gallagher.

“Operating a safe and sustainable business is Kier’s number one priority and we regret that on this occasion our high standards were not met.

“We work collaboratively with our supply chain to strive for continual improvement in safety standards and to develop new approaches to safe working.”

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector David King said: “The planning of roadworks needs to start by considering the design, and how road workers and members of the public will be protected from moving vehicles, this could mean road closures, reducing speed limits or other measures.

“Whatever the controls in place, those in the area need to have sufficient space, barriers and controls to ensure the risks to them are minimised.

“In this instance the only control measures in place were cones along the centre of the road, and traffic was allowed to pass at 60mph, close to the workers who were not provided with a safety zone given the lack of space.

“Had adequate controls and a safe system of work been in place this terrible incident could have been prevented.”

Latest news

Deck falls off huge scissor lift at Winvic site

Two men seriously injured as platform plunges to the ground
2 days ago

Bouygues seals deal for £119m Cardiff college campus

Construction to start in June on two new buildings
2 days ago

Bid race starts for £15bn schools framework refresh

DfE throws framework open to more contractors
2 days ago

Berkeley’s £600m Borough Triangle project approved

Controversial scheme features two towers of 38 and 44-storeys
3 days ago

London Mayor calls in blocked 600-bed student scheme

Refused 20-storey London PBSA block may still be built
2 days ago

HG to build 500-bed London Stratford student scheme

Work will start later this year subject to gateway 2 safety approval
3 days ago

Arrest after pedestrian death on construction site

Tragedy during site preparation works for new Wigan car park
2 days ago

British Steel threatens closure of Scunthorpe blast furnaces

Chinese owners say sectional steel and rail supplies will be maintained
3 days ago

Planning green light for Sheffield warehouse site

Existing factories to be demolished in new scheme for Rula Developments
2 days ago

New rail property company to unlock land for 40,000 homes

First four sites released in Newcastle, Cambridge, Manchester, and Nottingham
3 days ago

Drainage specialist Subscan files administration notice

Specialist employing 131 people files court notice
3 days ago

Four win Network Rail £300m engineering design deal

Eastern region deal will include design for Northern Powerhouse Rail
3 days ago

Funding go-ahead for Banwell bypass after fresh cost hike

Galliford Try contract rises £14m to £64m after final design change
3 days ago

Graham wins Southport £75m Marine Lakes Centre

Firm replaces Kier which parted ways with backer Sefton Council
3 days ago

Chancellor unveils extra £2bn capital spend a year

Construction promised a defence dividend in military base and homes upgrade work
4 days ago

McLaren confirms subcontractor team on £135m warehouse job

Work starts on TN2 Gateway site in Kent.
4 days ago

Vistry profits slump after site costs reporting debacle

House builder launches internal whistle-blowing service in business culture review
4 days ago

Severfield chief to step down

Alan Dunsmore to leave structural steel group by end of June
4 days ago

Funding hurdle remains as Lower Thames Crossing gains consent

Government claims £9bn project may start in 2026 as private finance options explored
5 days ago

Mace wins £600m Euston Tower overhaul

1970s tower's foundations and core to be retained as floor plates extended
5 days ago

Summer start for main works on London green tower

Axa sanctions start at 50 Fenchurch Street 36-storey office block
4 days ago

Japan’s leading flats builder JVs with L&G for UK push

Partners plan to build over 1,000 rental homes in London
4 days ago

Wates submits plan for 1,000 homes Harrow council scheme

Former civic centre Poets' Corner site kicks off housing partnership
4 days ago

Morgan Sindall upgrades forecast for next 12 months

Overbury fit-out arm gets off to a flying start in 2025
5 days ago

Restructure underway at Henry Boot Construction

New management team restructures business after drop in turnover
5 days ago

Government pledges £2bn stop-gap funding for 18,000 homes

Funding avoids cliff-edge in social housing delivery before new grant programme agreed
5 days ago

Just two major new roads schemes to start this year

National Highways sets out one-year interim spending plan after RIS3 delay
5 days ago

Plans go in for £400m GRAHAM Manchester site

Demolition and enabling works underway with main construction set to start next year
5 days ago

Building safety levy rate set at up to £10,000 a home in London

Levy introduction pushed back a year to Autumn 2026 - list of new rates
6 days ago

BAM wins £100m revamp of Broadgate Tower in London

Front of tower 3-storey extension to use cross laminate time and re-used steel
6 days ago

Contractor services