Brighton & Hove council fined after elderly woman struck by road sweeper » Local Government » 24dash.com

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning local authorities to ensure that they fully assess the risks when undertaking work.

The warning follows HSE's prosecution of Brighton and Hove Council after an elderly member of public was struck by a street-sweeping vehicle.

Brighton and Hove City Council was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay £3,763 in costs at Brighton Magistrates court, after pleading guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

On March 15 2007, a 73-year-old woman was struck and injured by a reversing street sweeping vehicle in Preston Park, Brighton. She sustained serious crush injuries to her leg and had to remain in hospital for four weeks and undergo four operations.

HSE Inspector Paul Vinnicombe said: "The incident should serve as a warning to others of what can happen when risks are not assessed. Had this been done, this incident would not have happened.

"Had the council undertaken a thorough risk assessment it would have concluded that there were a number of low-cost simple steps it could have taken to reduce the risks to members of the public - these could have included the use of signs, cones or barriers to separate the area from the public or fitting a rear-view CCTV camera to the vehicle".