Company Fined After Pedestrian Struck by Reversing Flat Bed Truck

Brief Summary

A landscaping and civil engineering employer was fined after a pedestrian was seriously injured when a flat bed truck reversed and struck him while he was walking across the site. The HSE found the workplace was not organised to ensure vehicles and pedestrians could move safely, including a lack of clear pedestrian routes and inadequate arrangements for reversing manoeuvres.

What Was The Incident?

The incident happened on 22 September 2017 when a visiting flat bed truck reversed into a worker as he walked across the site. The worker suffered serious head injuries, damage to his eyesight, and significant mental and psychological trauma.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court in November 2025. The company was fined £125,000 and ordered to pay £150,000 in costs at sentencing on 15 June 2026.

Key Points To Consider

Organise workplaces to separate pedestrians and vehicles. Ensure pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely, with clear arrangements that prevent people on foot from being in the path of reversing vehicles.

Provide clearly demarcated pedestrian routes. Set out safe routes for people on site so they are not relying on informal movement through vehicle areas.

Remove the need for reversing where possible. Use planning measures such as one way systems and drive through loading and unloading layouts to eliminate reversing when it is reasonably practicable.

Control reversing manoeuvres through safe systems of work. Where reversing cannot be avoided, organise site routes and arrangements to minimise reversing and reduce risk to those on foot, including clear driver expectations for safe manoeuvring.

Treat workplace transport risks as high priority. Review site transport arrangements proactively because incidents involving reversing can have severe outcomes, even when they do not result in fatalities.

HSE Prosecution Link