Worker struck by reversing road-sweeper
\nFamily describes Robert Morris as \u201cthe centre of our world\u201d
\nHSE guidance is available on safe use of vehicles on site<\/p>\n
A construction company that specialises in road resurfacing in London has been fined \u00a31m after one of its employees was killed by a reversing road-sweeper.<\/p>\n
Robert Morris, 48, was working on the resurfacing of Pemberton Road in Haringey for Marlborough Highways Limited on 30 May 2022. A colleague was at the wheel of the vehicle and Robert was struck while it was reversing.<\/p>\n
A joint investigation was launched between the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Metropolitan Police. The police submitted evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) leading to a separate prosecution, which resulted in the driver being given a suspended prison sentence.<\/p>\n
The HSE investigation identified a number of failings. There was no segregation between people and moving vehicles on site and a banksman was not used when the road sweeper reversed and struck Mr Morris. The traffic management systems in place at the site were inadequate and unsafe, placing employees and members of the public at risk of serious injury and death.<\/p>\n
The majority of construction transport accidents result from the inadequate segregation of pedestrians and vehicles. This can usually be avoided by careful planning, particularly at the design stage, and by controlling vehicle operations during construction work.<\/p>\n
The safe use of vehicles on construction sites: A guide for clients, designers, contractors, managers and workers involved with construction transport \u2013 HSE<\/a> provides detailed guidance on the importance of a safe site and the segregation of people and vehicles.<\/p>\n Marlborough Highways Limited of Woolf House Eagle Way, Chelmsford Garden, Chelmsford pleaded guilty to Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 at the first opportunity. The company was fined \u00a31million, with full costs awarded in the sum of \u00a36,028, at City of London Magistrates\u2019 Court on 3 October 2025.<\/p>\n In the separate CPS case, Jamie Smith, who was also an employee of the company, was prosecuted for an offence of causing death by careless driving contrary to section 2B of the Road Traffic Act 1988. He pleaded guilty and in February 2024, at Wood Green Crown Court, he was sentenced to a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, and disqualified from driving for one year.<\/p>\n HSE principal inspector James Goldfinch said: \u201cOur thoughts are with Robert\u2019s family, described by his widow as \u2018the centre of our world\u2019. She says his children are \u2018sad and angry and cheated of so much of their future\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cRobert was entitled to return home safely from work to his family but the lack of segregation of vehicles and pedestrians by Marlborough Highways Limited meant he did not.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was a case where appropriate controls had been identified but were not being implemented on site.\u201d<\/p>\n The prosecution was brought by HSE\u2019s Enforcement Lawyer Samantha Wells, with the assistance of Paralegal Melissa Wardle.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Notes to Editors<\/strong><\/p>\n The Health and Safety Executive<\/a> (HSE) is Britain\u2019s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives. Worker struck by reversing road-sweeper Family describes Robert Morris as \u201cthe centre of our world\u201d HSE guidance is available on safe use of vehicles on site A construction company that specialises in road resurfacing in London has been fined \u00a31m after one of its employees was killed by a reversing road-sweeper. Robert Morris, 48, was…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2132"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2132\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nMore information about the legislation<\/a> referred to in this case is available.
\nFurther details on the latest HSE news releases<\/a> is available.
\nRelevant guidance can be found here The safe use of vehicles on construction sites: A guide for clients, designers, contractors, managers and workers involved with construction transport \u2013 HSE<\/a>.<\/strong>
\nHSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.\u00a0 The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"