Veolia fined £1m after employee run over by HGV and killed

Veolia ES (UK) has been fined £1m after one of its employees was run over and killed by a reversing lorry.

John Head suffered fatal injuries when he was run over by the refuse vehicle whilst he was walking across the yard at the waste and recycling arm’s Ross Depot Waste Transfer Station in Folkestone in October 2013.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation by the HSE found that multiple vehicles, including articulated lorries and refuse trucks, were manoeuvring around the yard with no specific controls.

The company failed to adequately assess the risks involved in the yard and did not implement industry recognised control measures to protect employees.

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Veolia ES (UK) was found guilty after a trial at Canterbury Crown Court of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.

It was fined £1m and ordered to pay costs of £130,000.

HSE inspector Kevin Golding said: “This should be a reminder to all industries, but in particular, the waste industry, to appropriately assess the risks and implement widely recognised control measures to adequately control manoeuvring vehicles, in particular reversing vehicles and restrict pedestrian movements around vehicles.”