A refuse collection company has been fined £1m after a worker was run over and killed by a reversing refuse collection vehicle (RCV).
News
Veolia fined £1m after RCV runs over worker
Canterbury Crown Court heard how, on 18 October 2013, Veolia employee John Head suffered fatal injuries when he was run over as he was walking across the yard at the Ross Depot Waste Transfer Station in Folkestone. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation by HSE found that multiple vehicles, including RCVs and articulated lorries, 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.
Veolia ES (UK) Limited of Pentonville Road, London was sentenced at court on 23 January for breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The firm was ordered to pay costs of £130,000 in addition to the £1 million fine.
Investigating 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.”
Veolia ES (UK) Limited was fined £350,000 in February 2018 after a workshop cleaner was struck by a reversing 17 and a half tonne dust cart.
According to HSE there were 12 fatal injuries in 2017/18 in the waste industry, which has a rate of fatal injury around 16 times greater than all the industries average.
NEWS
Top jobs in safety in greatest demand right now, says recruiter
By Belinda Liversedge on 29 October 2025
Senior safety professionals who can influence culture, lead transformation, and align health and safety with wider business goals are in growing demand by employers, the recruiter Irwin & Colton have said.
HSE inspectors target Manchester construction sites as part of health drive
By Belinda Liversedge on 28 October 2025
HSE inspectors made a series of proactive inspections last week in Manchester city centre to tackle ill-health on construction sites.
Headline fines highlight common errors in reversing
By Belinda Liversedge on 24 October 2025
Reversing incidents have come into sharp focus in recent months, says HSE with two high profile fines totalling £3.5 million for the death of two workers.
