Pensioner killed at poorly managed roadworks

Grant Prior 7 years ago
Share

Liverpool City Council and two of its contractors have been prosecuted following two separate incidents involving roadworks on a busy city centre road.

One man died and another was seriously injured while attempting to cross Queens Drive in Liverpool during major resurfacing works in the summer of 2012.

Enterprise Liverpool Limited and Tarmac Trading Limited were contracted by Liverpool City Council to carry out the works.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how on 3 July 2012 a 74-year-old man suffered head injuries after he was hit by a car while using a crossing at temporary lights.

One side of the Queen’s Drive dual carriageway had been put into a contraflow to allow vehicles to travel in both directions.

But the temporary pedestrian lights were not working and no alternative was provided.

The Court also heard that the following month, 69-year-old Ernest Haughton died after he was hit by a car while attempting to cross a single lane of traffic on the same road using a temporary pedestrian crossing.

Following complaints from motorists, changes were made to the traffic control lights to alleviate congestion but this removed the natural break in traffic flow needed to allow pedestrians to cross the carriageway.

An HSE investigation found that Liverpool City Council failed to ensure that the arrangements for managing the roadworks were suitable, including failing to appoint a suitable co-ordinator for the work.

Instead they had sought to delegate responsibilities to Enterprise Liverpool Limited.

The investigation also found that Enterprise Liverpool Limited failed to ensure the designs for the traffic management were checked or approved, the construction plan for pedestrian routes and provision of barriers was being followed, and at the time of the incidents provided no safe means of pedestrians crossing the works area or the carriageway.

Tarmac Trading Limited who were responsible for the provision and installation of the traffic and pedestrian management failed to provide alternative assistance for pedestrians at the time of the first incident despite it being known that the temporary lights were broken.

When Haughton was killed the temporary lights had been removed but no alternative control measures were put in place to enable pedestrians to cross the live lane of traffic.

In addition a large A-frame sign was placed on the crossing obscuring the view of both pedestrians and motorists.

Liverpool City Council pleaded guilty to breaching CDM regulations and was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £100,000 costs.

Enterprise Liverpool Limited also pleaded guilty and was fined £25,000 and ordered to pay £80,000 costs.

Tarmac Trading Limited of Solihull, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 and were fined £1.3m and ordered to pay £130,000 costs.

Speaking after the case HSE Inspector Jacqueline Western said: “The risks associated with road works are well known in the industry and specific guidance is available to assist with the planning and implementation.

“It is not unreasonable to expect that those who regularly engage in this type of construction work should be well aware of their roles and responsibilities.

“The combined failure of all three dutyholders to comply with their duties on more than one occasion during the Queens Drive resurfacing project, led to one man losing his life and another suffering serious injury. It could quite easily have been two fatal incidents.

“By engaging with the entire project team at the very start of a project, clients like Liverpool City Council, can ensure that a good health and safety culture is embodied throughout the life of the project.

“Ongoing communication and cooperation between the principal contractors and sub-contractors ensures that the project is being adequately planned, managed and monitored.”

Latest news

Lonsdale went down owing £65m to supply chain

More than 600 firms owed money as reduced credit rating sinks M&E giant
2 hours ago

Hunt for delivery partner to revive New Hospital Programme

Programme delivery partner to get £600m fee to get plans back on track
13 hours ago

Green light for new £780m Essex garden village

3,700 homes and four new schools to be built at Dunton Hills
10 hours ago

Laing O’Rourke makes a £288m loss

Rampant inflation on fixed-price jobs and problem contracts blow hole in accounts
18 hours ago

Keltbray, OCU and Clancy clinch £1bn electricity network upgrade

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks awards biggest ever deals for central southern England
2 days ago

G&T enlisted for commercial review of HS2 main civils contracts

Phase 1 Main Works Civils Contracts to come under cost scrutiny
16 hours ago

TClarke order books doubles to top £1bn for first time

M&E specialist on track to exceed £500m turnover this year
17 hours ago

Wates signs Government safety remediation pact

Private builder belatedly signs fire safety developer remediation contract
18 hours ago

Liverpool all-electric industrial park approved

McLaren and Caddick in chase for Sefton 800,000 sq ft Atlantic Park scheme
1 day ago

Former Buckingham Group MD to join John F Hunt

Simon Hyams is new Managing Director for Contracting
2 days ago

Three in race for retendered £150m A9 dualling job

Bidders take another look after client takes on more risk
2 days ago

Clancy tops £300m revenue in fifth year of growth

Civils contractor delivers £13.5m pre-tax from water and energy sector work
2 days ago

Tower crane collapses on Edinburgh resi site

Jib falls onto apartment block under construction: Video
3 days ago

Salboy drops office space from Viadux Phase Two

Developer to focus on Manchester residential towers of 76 and 23 storeys
3 days ago

Warwick Uni plan for science and engineering campus

370,000 sq ft science and engineering precinct submitted for planning
2 days ago

Morgan Sindall chalks up Greater Manchester schools treble

Bury, Stockport and Wythenshawe school jobs will create 1,600 pupil places
2 days ago

Plans in for £65m Blackpool multiversity campus

Council leads plan for Talbot Gateway learning campus
2 days ago

Laing O’Rourke wins first phase of £700m Oxford R&D district

Landmark Red Hall and two labs to be built in phase 1a of Oxford North scheme
4 days ago

Ardmore wins retrofit deal on £200m Chancery Lane office

Building will be transformed to provide 105,637 sq ft of office space
3 days ago

Construction’s “Leading Lights” recognised

More than 50 winners in latest Considerate Constructors Scheme awards
3 days ago

Balfour Beatty clinches £20m Norfolk coastal defence jobs

Firm will install rock armour at Cromer and Mundesley
3 days ago

Architects join construction union Unite

Section of Architectural Workers forms official branch
4 days ago

Boot to build £20m lightweight aviation composites factory

Work starts on Sheffield University's COMPASS R&D facility
3 days ago

GMI secures £27m Leeds City College job

Site clearance underway for new Mabgate campus
4 days ago

Balfour signs deal with Koreans for UK power transmission jobs

Contractor strengthens large-scale onshore power transmission capability
4 days ago

36 storey south London build to rent flats tower approved

Construction to start next year on £220m Croydon scheme
4 days ago

Hunt for firms for £400m volumetric offsite deal

Procurement for Housing aims to expand its pool of firms on major offsite framework
4 days ago

Graham wins £87m Jock’s Lodge junction upgrade

Spring start for East Riding A164 improvement scheme near Beverley
7 days ago

Giant concrete pour at HS2 Curzon Viaduct: Video

Over 2,000 cubic metres create the first two 90 metre viaduct deck structures,
4 days ago

Cladding safety contractors told to wear body cameras

Insurance giant AXA to record remedial work
4 days ago

Contractor services