Newport council fined £2m after tractor killed worker

A council has been fined £2m after one of its employees was hit by a passing tractor and killed.

Stephen Bell, 57, was resurfacing Langstone Court Road, Newport, from the back of a tipper lorry on 18 July 2019.

His wife, Jenny, said losing her "caring and hardworking" husband had changed her life forever.

The council admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and has apologised to Mr Bell's family.

It was ordered to pay £2m plus £9,780 costs.

"I do not have the words to express the pain my family and I felt when we heard the news and losing him so suddenly has taken its toll on us all and has left us all heartbroken," Mrs Bell said.

"He had a smile that lit up a room, an amazing sense of humour and laughter that was contagious.

"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."

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Mr Bell was working for Newport City Council when he was killed, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Along with colleagues, he was carrying out resurfacing repairs on the section of Langstone Court Road that runs beneath the M4 motorway.

At the time of the incident, a Newport City Council team leader and the four highway operatives were working on foot and authorised to be on the site.

However, an investigation by the HSE found the council did not take all reasonably practicable steps to organise a safe working environment.

It said this would have been by ensuring there was a suitable and sufficient safety zone between the road works area and the the live part of the carriageway, as well as securing the perimeter of the road works site.

Mrs Bell said she wanted to ensure "nothing like this ever happens again so that no other families experience what we have experienced".

"Nothing will bring my husband back and no matter what justice takes place, it will never be enough to compensate my family and I for what we have all lost," she said.

Newport City Council pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £2million 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."

Newport council said it was "extremely sorry for the death of Stephen Bell", adding he was "a respected and valued colleague".

"The council takes its health and safety responsibilities very seriously at all times. A guilty plea was entered at the earliest opportunity," it said.

"Policies, procedures and training were in place at the time of the incident, however thorough and in-depth reviews have also been carried out since the incident.

"Health and safety resources have been increased, procedures have been strengthened, and additional training introduced. The council has learned from this tragic incident and has taken every step to try and ensure this is not able to happen again."