Bus operator ignored "blindingly obvious risks"

Prosecutions and Claims |
02.06.2008

London Central Bus Company has been fined £60,000 following a incident in which a worker fell into a pit and suffered spinal injuries.

The accident happened only 15 months after an employee at the garage died in similar circumstances.

In October 2005, Omar Maouche, a bus chassis cleaner at New Cross Bus Garage in London, fell into a vehicle inspection pit as he tried to use a pit cover as a bridge to cross from one side to the other. He suffered compression of the spine.

An investigation found London Central had failed to implement a safe system of work and failed to provide proper information, training and supervision to employees.

The HSE had raised concerns about the company's risk assessments - and in particular the covering of vehicle pits - during its investigation into a fatal incident at the same garage in July 2004, when an employee died after falling into a pit.

London Central Bus Company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. On 30 May at the Old Bailey, the firm was fined £60,000 with £15,347 costs.

"On paper, London Central Bus Company had a reasonable system for controlling risks to their employees," said HSE inspector Loraine Charles, "but they failed to properly implement it. They failed to focus on areas of danger and missed what the judge, in this case, described as 'blindingly obvious risks'.

"The company were aware, following the previous fatal incident, that risks arising from work around vehicle pits were significant and potentially fatal but failed to ensure that they had identified and addressed all tasks where such risks arose."