Planning and organisation of construction sites essential to achieve workplace transport safety

All parties to construction projects need to ensure that they have a transport plan for sites that provides for effective segregation of pedestrians and vehicles and that it is implemented during the works.
A failure to do so resulted in a worker receiving serious injuries on 2nd December 2004 when he was run over by a loaded 4-tonne dumper truck on a construction site in Riddings, Derbyshire.
Derby Magistrates' Court fined principal contractor ____ ____, of South Normanton, £2,000 with costs of £750, after pleading guilty to breaching r.15(1) the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996.
Despite the need for pedestrian segregation and a transport plan being identified earlier, at the time of the incident no segregation had been put in place. It was only after the incident that a physical barrier separating the pedestrian walkways from the transport routes was finally introduced.
Workplace transport issues are tackled by HSE at http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/

Comment:
"Considering the extent of his injuries Mr _____ has made remarkably good progress - this incident could easily have resulted in a fatality. Each year construction vehicle incidents account for around 15 deaths and are the second largest cause of fatal and major injuries in the industry. It is vitally important that construction sites are well planned and organised.
This means eliminating or reducing potential contact between vehicles and pedestrians by effective physical barriers, with appropriate crossing points and speed limits. All vehicles are safe and are fitted with good visibility aids to overcome any blind spots and drivers are competent and work in a safe manner. All persons who work on the site must have received the necessary information and instruction informing them of these site rules. This accident could have been avoided if greater care was taken in planning and setting out the site before actual construction work had started.
HSE can help and advise companies on workplace transport - there's a section on our website which deals with it, and an online assessment to check how well you're doing." - HSE construction inspector.