Company fined £120k after worker is crushed to death

A firm has been fined following an incident in which a worker was run over and crushed to death.

During a hearing at Croydon crown court, First Capital East - a bus operator headquartered in Paddington Station, London - was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay costs of £95,000 after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.

The accident occurred in January 2003 when engineer Brian Norman was crouching in front of a bus while replacing its headlamp.

While he was doing so, a driver walked on to the vehicle via the rear door and, unaware of Mr Norman's position, moved the bus forward. The engineer was run over and died on the scene.

Commenting on the case, Health and Safety Executive inspector Charles Linfoot stated: "Employers have a duty to organise their workplace so that vehicles and pedestrians are segregated, so far as is reasonably practicable."

19/03/2008 15:13