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Chelmsford council to pay £150k over binman death

Essex Police Steve BishopEssex Police
Steve Bishop's partner said she and her three boys would "never get over this"

A council has been ordered to pay nearly £150,000 after one of its refuse collectors was killed by a dustcart.

Steve Bishop, 37, was killed when he was hit by the rear and underside of a bin lorry that was reversing in Osea Way, Chelmsford, on 8 December 2017.

Chelmsford City Council admitted two health and safety breaches and was sentenced at the city's crown court.

The local authority said it conducted a review "immediately" after the accident and improved "working practices".

Bin lorry being towed away
Steve Bishop died at the scene after being struck by the lorry in the Springfield area of Chelmsford

Father-of-three Mr Bishop was working as the loader operative at the time.

His partner Nickie Bishop said in a statement she and her sons would "never get over this".

"I hope more than anything that no other family ever has to go through this heartbreak, to have a knock on the door to say their partner who is hard at work and been run over," she said.

"I am having the difficult subject of my youngest son, who is five, asking about his dad and why he is in the sky."

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which prosecuted, said the council failed to effectively manage:

  • Risks presented by moving refuse vehicles
  • Training and instruction for agency workers on safe procedures for reversing and the use of hand signals
  • Employee working practices

The council pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to discharge general health and safety duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The local authority was handed an £80,000 fine, along with £61,065 in costs and a £8,000 victim surcharge. It must pay by 30 September.

'Immediate review'

HSE inspector Saffron Turnell said: "Several health and safety management failings were identified by this public organisation, which led to inconsistent systems of work and provision of training in the high-risk activity of waste collection."

A council spokeswoman said it accepted there were legislation breaches "due to inconsistencies in the way that recycling collection services were operated at the time".

She added: "The council conducted a review immediately after the accident and improvements to working practices were implemented in 2018.

"In determining the level of fine, the court did take into account and comment upon the council's good health and safety record."

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