Argyll and Bute Council Neglects Car Parking Safety
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
Argyll and Bute Council has come under scanner for neglecting the basic car parking safety at a parking bay. Duncan MacGillivray, 75, drowned on 17 September 2007 at a pier when his car went over the edge and fell into the sea water.
The fault lay with Mr. MacGillivray who had accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of reversing to exit the car parking. Though it was an error of judgment on his part, the accident was preventable if the council had taken safety measures to erect a safety barrier at the edge.
Though the car parking has a few safety barriers at some places, the area where Mr. MacGillivray had parked had none. It was an unfortunate and tragic accident. The Health and Safety Executive filed a case against Argyll and Bute Council for breach of safety and the council pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The council was charged a fine of £20,000.
HSE Inspector Mike Orr criticized the council for not implementing a simple safety measure. If the council had made an effort to assess the risks involved in and around the car parking facility, the unprotected edges would have been clearly located.
The implementation of safety measures would have prevented the unnecessary death of the elderly gentleman who had no idea of the consequences. Adequate edge protection measures are a requirement at such areas that are adjacent to the sea as the sheer drop itself might prove to be fatal.
In such circumstances, a simple but necessary safety measure would have protected the interests of life and property. This incident is a true warning to all facilities that are close to natural risks to implement preventive measures to ensure public health and safety.
Protecting the health and safety of employees and members of the public who may be affected by your activities is an essential part of risk management. The safety consultants from Workplace Law can assist managers and supervisors in all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams to learn about the importance of promoting awareness and attitude, and communication about safety to improve the health and safety culture within an organisation.