Project manager and director sentenced after dumper death

Grant Prior 4 years ago
Share

A company director and project manager have been sentenced after an untrained and unsupervised worker was killed when the forward tipping dumper truck he was operating overturned.

Swansea Crown Court heard how on 1 October 2016 the employee was working alone at a construction site in West Aberthaw, Vale of Glamorgan.

He was operating a dumper truck around a construction site which had no designated traffic routes.

The worker was operating the vehicle when it overturned causing him to either be thrown or jump from the vehicle. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

The 38-year-old man was found two days later with fatal crush injuries at the bottom of a ramp, which formed part of a spoil heap.

His injuries were consistent with being struck by the rollover protection structure (ROPS) bar of the overturning dumper truck.

An HSE investigation found that the access ramp was uneven, made up of loose ground; and the slope and cross slope of the ramp exceeded the dumper truck’s machine maximum operating capacity.

Untrained operators regularly used construction vehicles on routes that were not suitable for the vehicles and there was no effective management of health and safety on the construction site.

Project Manager at TSD group Graham Kuhlmann of Bridgend pleaded guilty to safety breaches and received a 21-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months and was ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.

Sole director of Pro’conn Limited, the principal contractor at the site, Kevin March of Pontcanna, Cardiff also pleaded guilty and received a 32-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months and was ordered to pay £20,000 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Newton said: “The risks associated with untrained operators using construction vehicles on uneven ground with excessive slopes are foreseeable. This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident.

“Those responsible for managing health and safety on construction sites should ensure that traffic routes are safe, designed and managed, for the vehicles using them; and only those with the necessary skills, training and knowledge should be asked to operate construction vehicles.”

Latest news

Man Utd confirm plan for £2bn ‘super-tent’ stadium

Club to press ahead with 100,000-seat 'Wembley of the North'
41 minutes ago

Government spending keeps profits edging-up at Kier

91% of work now with public sector and regulated companies
3 hours ago

Costain on track for step change to 5% margin

Alex Vaughan says order book has jumped £1.5bn to £5.4bn
3 hours ago

Mace tops February contracts league

Confirmation of £300m London Victoria Street project lifts firm to pole position
3 hours ago

Wates raids Laing O’Rourke for new construction operations chief

George Mosey leaves Laing O'Rourke after 16 years
17 hours ago

Travis Perkins CEO Pete Redfern steps down due to ill health

Redfern joined builders' merchant last year after 14 years at Taylor Wimpey
21 hours ago

Morgan Sindall wins £61m Liverpool lab scheme

Construction to start this Autumn on latest Knowledge Quarter project
3 hours ago

Glencar to build timber-framed office block

Work to start next month on 79,200 sq ft scheme in Maidenhead
24 hours ago

Shed specialist Marbank files administration notice

£67m turnover portal-framed building specialist files court notice
1 day ago

Birmingham council submits £1bn Druids Heath plan

High rise estate to be replaced by-3,500 home eco village
1 day ago

Cannabis farm gang posed as utilities contractor

Gang jailed for 28 years after diverting power to more than 100 cannabis farms
4 days ago

Firm fined after workers climb scaffold without ladder

HSE investigation prompted by death on Liverpool site
1 day ago

Clancy renews £250m Southern Water deal

Contractor vows to maximise value for money and minimise disruption
1 day ago

McLaren go-ahead for 314 flats Watford scheme

Police station and magistrates court to be demolished
1 day ago

Former Liverpool mayor charged in building contracts probe

Construction bosses also charged as part of Operation Aloft
4 days ago

Bidding to start for £700m Irish sea interconnector work

Work includes converter stations at Hunterston and Kilroot near Belfast
4 days ago

Muse to redevelop Durham County Hall HQ site

Morgan Sindall regen specialist seals another major development deal
4 days ago

Mace to transform Imperial College Great Hall

Work to start next month on ambitious refit
4 days ago

£100m plan to regenerate former Digbeth ironworks

Hartwell unveils 260,000 sq ft office and 240 homs plan
4 days ago

Legendre UK wins £21m London homes job for Clarion

Tower Hamlets building to be replaced due to building and fire safety issues
4 days ago

Construction buyers report fastest downturn since 2020

Double whammy of decreasing new orders and delayed projects
5 days ago

Bidders day for £15bn schools alliance framework

Online event to set out details of DfE alliancing framework procurement plan
5 days ago

MPs told safety regulator delays forcing industry job cuts

Industry chief warns housing select committee that BSR is now a main block on meeting housing targets
5 days ago

£600m delivery partner named for new hospital programme

Mace/T&T JV named programme delivery partner for £37bn new hospital plan
6 days ago

£230m Southampton waterfront scheme approved

Town Quay includes trio of 25 storey towers around new marina
5 days ago

Planning green light for £10bn Northumberland data centre

Blackstone-backed project will create 1,200 construction jobs
6 days ago

Bauhaus block above Southwark Station gets green light

Student accommodation and affordable housing scheme replaces original office plan
5 days ago

Police arrest plant hire fraud gang

Nine arrests after kit hired "with no intent of ever returning the machines"
6 days ago

Balfour Beatty boss Leo Quinn to step down

Group Chief Executive to be replaced by consultant AtkinsRéalis chief Philip Hoare
6 days ago

Galliford Try upgrades target as half-year profits jump 54%

Firm closes in on deal to take on ISG custodial work
6 days ago

Contractor services