Newport City Council was fined after Stephen Bell was killed during road repair works in 2019
Stephen Bell was barrowing tarmac from the back of the local authority’s tipper lorry when he was struck by a farm vehicle passing the road repair works.
His wife Jenny spoke about how the loss of the 57-year-old had changed their family’s life forever.
“Stephen was a kind, caring and a hardworking man who loved his family very much. He had a smile that lit up a room, an amazing sense of humour and laughter that was contagious,” she said. “In the years since he’s been gone, my family and I have missed so much.
“Recently, our youngest daughter got married, and didn’t have her father to walk her down the aisle.”
HSE found that there were insufficient measures to distance the workers from the nearby active road
Stephen Bell and colleagues were working on the section of Langstone Court Road that runs beneath the M4 motorway on 18 July 2019.
A Newport City Council team leader and the four highway operatives were working on foot and authorised to be on the site, but an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the council did not take all reasonably enforcable steps to create a safe working environment.
Principally, this related to creating a sufficient safety zone between road works area and the running lane (the live part of the carriageway), as well as securing the perimeter.
Newport City Council was fined for the easily preventable death
Newport City Council, Civic Centre, Godfrey Road, Newport, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and has been fined £2m and ordered to pay costs of £9,780.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Philip Nicolle said: “The council’s failures have had a devastating impact on Stephen Bell’s family.
“This tragic incident could so easily have been avoided if the council had simply carried out correct control measures and safe working practices.
“We will not hesitate to take action against those that fall below the required standards.
“Our thoughts remain with Mrs Bell and those who knew and loved Stephen.”
