Construction Company Fined £1 million After Worker Dies

A construction company specialising in road resurfacing in London was fined £1 million after a worker was killed by a reversing road-sweeper. Most 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. 

To ensure accidents like this do not occur to your workers, contact one of our health and safety specialists for FREE, same-day advisory on 01455 858 132.

Reason for prosecution

Consequences for your construction business

Croner’s risk prevention process

Reach out to an expert

Case background

In May 2022, Robert Morris, a 48-year-old employee was resurfacing a road. This typically involves the use of a road-sweeper to clear away debris caused by the resurfacing process. During this time, a colleague reversed a road-sweeper accidentally, fatally striking Mr. Morris.

Reason for prosecution

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE)-led investigation revealed several grossly overlooked procedures of the employer:

• There was no separation between people and moving vehicles at the resurfacing site.
• A banksman was not on duty to guide the road-sweeper as it reversed.
• Traffic management systems in place at the site were unsafe, creating serious risks for both members of the public and on-site workers.

As a result, the construction company pleaded guilty to sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £1 million.

Consequences for your construction business

If you run a construction business, where dangerous procedures can risk the lives of the workers under your care, then an incident such as this could permanently damage both your organisation’s reputational and financial wellbeing, as well as your workers’ health and wellbeing.

In specific, the consequences of an incident like this are:

• Irreversible reputational damage.
• Client flight.
• Prosecution in a criminal court.
• Financially crippling penalties.

So, how do you, as a business owner, ensure that an accident like this never happens to your business and the workers under its care?

Let’s cover how Croner’s expert health and safety team would have handled this situation below:

Croner’s risk prevention process

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, all UK employers must ensure the safety and welfare of their workers in the workplace.

If your business was a Croner partner, our team of specialists would immediately go to work on understanding all the risks present in your current construction procedures that could put you at risk of breaching this law.

Our first step would be to undertake a comprehensive on-site risk assessment protocol.

This assessment would evaluate:

• If formal training procedures existed, and if they equipped workers with the necessary skills to undertake construction procedures safety.
• If incident and risk-reporting systems were up to date, centralised, and actionable (i.e. systems are in place to immediately act on reported risks and/or incidents).
• All construction related procedures and whether Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are a) sufficiently documented, and b) risk-free.
• If workers are sufficiently trained to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) relevant to the job or procedure they undertake.
• If health and safety reporting is sufficiently utilised before, during, and after risky work.
• If on-site teams have the expertise needed to undertake work safely (i.e. not understaffed, have trained banksmen on-site, etc).

These are just a few of the aspects that our risk identification procedure would cover.

Strategy implementation

In the implementation phase, we would address the identified risks by providing targeted solutions based on the outcomes of the risk identification phase.

For example:

• Lacking/non-compliant training: Create industry-specific, HSE-aligned training programmes for all workers, including mandatory modules on vehicle-pedestrian segregation, banksman duties, and safe reversing protocols. Sessions to include practical simulations using site-specific scenarios, with certification and refresher courses scheduled every six to eight months.
• Out of date incident and risk reporting: Implement a digital reporting platform (e.g., integrated app or cloud-based system) for real-time incident logging, near-miss captures, and automated supervisor alerts. Train staff on usage and establish weekly review meetings to ensure actionable follow-ups within 24 hours.
• Insufficiently documented SOPs: Develop comprehensive, illustrated SOPs for all high-risk activities, such as road resurfacing and vehicle movements, in line with HSE guidance (e.g., HSG144).
• Risky SOPs: Conduct a full SOP audit using hierarchy of control principles—eliminating risks where possible. Revised SOPs to undergo pilot testing on a controlled site section before full rollout.
• PPE training lacking: Roll out hands-on PPE workshops covering selection, fitting, inspection, and maintenance. Supply compliant gear with unique identifiers for tracking and integrating PPE checks into daily toolbox talks.
• Health and safety reporting not effective: Introduce a tiered reporting framework:
  • Immediate voice-to-text submissions for hazards.
  • Daily digital huddles and post-shift debriefs.
  • Appointment of safety champions per crew.
  • Audit compliance monthly with feedback loops to refine processes.
• Lacking expertise in on-site teams: Perform a skills gap analysis and recruit or upskill personnel. Mandate minimum staffing ratios for vehicle operations, rotate trained spotters, and establish an on-call roster for expert oversight during peak resurfacing works. Ongoing competence would be monitored via spot-check observations and KPI dashboards.

Legal disclaimer

The information provided above is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is imperative that you consult with a qualified professional or legal advisor to ensure that your organisation adheres to all relevant laws and best practices. Always prioritise the safety and wellbeing of those in your care.

Reach out to an expert

“This was a case where appropriate controls had been identified but were not being implemented on site.” – HSE inspector

If you run a construction business and you want to ensure your organisation is risk free, give one of our Health & Safety specialists a call today for FREE, same-day advisory.

Call 01455 858 132.