Company fined after worker killed on M4

Traffic management company fined after worker killed on M4 when collecting cones.

R P Traffic Management Ltd, based in Newport, was fined £100,000 following the death of Sean Luke Hale who was hit by a vehicle while crossing the motorway to collect cones from the central reservation.

The firm, which was working on road resurfacing works in September 2006, failed to provide a safety system including the use of signs to warn drivers, a Health and Safety Executive investigation found.

HSE inspector Wayne Williams said: “On the night in question, the gang of three workers consisted of one foreman and two trainees. This was not adequate supervision in what is a high risk working environment. 

“Trainee roadworkers should always be under a high level of supervision when undertaking this kind of work as part of an overall safe system of work on the job.

“Everyone involved in work on high speed roads should learn from this tragedy and consider whether they are doing enough to prevent needless deaths and injuries. Motorway works can be very dangerous places unless a high degree of control is maintained.”