Worker fatality due to no segregation
A construction company that specialises in road resurfacing in London has been fined £1,000,000 after one of its employees was killed by a reversing road-sweeper.
What happened?
On 30 May 2022, Robert Morris, 48, was killed while working on a road resurfacing project in London.
He was struck by a reversing road sweeper operated by a colleague.
The investigation found that:
There was no segregation between pedestrians and moving vehicles on site.
There was no banksman to guide the reversing vehicle.
There was inadequate and unsafe traffic management systems, putting workers and the public at risk.
What was the result?
Marlborough Highways Limited pleaded guilty to breaches of Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
They were fined £1 million, with full costs awarded in the sum of £6,028 at City of London Magistrates’ Court (3 October 2025).
The driver, Jamie Smith, 46, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving (Road Traffic Act 1988).
Smith was sentenced to six months in prison and was disqualified from driving for one year.
Lessons Learned
Effective segregation of pedestrians and vehicles is essential on construction sites.
Most construction transport accidents result from inadequate pedestrian-vehicle separation.
Identified safety controls must be properly implemented to prevent incidents.
Careful site planning, particularly at the design stage, and strict traffic management are crucial for worker and public safety.
Further Information
Further guidance can be found here ‘The safe use of vehicles on construction sites’ – HSG144
Regulation 27 of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 focuses on Traffic Routes – guidance on this can be found in ‘Managing health and safety in construction’ – L153
There is also a host of useful information on Traffic Management on Site on the HSE’s website.
Further information on this case can be found here