£37,000 fine for Costain, Mowlem, Skanska and Ovendens

Costain, Mowlem, Skanska and Ovendens Earthmoving were fined a total of £37,000 at Medway Magistrates Court yesterday after a fatal road accident outside a construction site in 2001.

The four contractors were working on the M2 widening project near Buckmore Park, Chatham. On 15 November 2001 two vehicles collided on the A229. The driver of one of the vehicles, Ian Cheverst, was killed and his wife was injured. A sliproad onto the A229 had earlier become contaminated with mud from a construction site exit.

Ovenden was fined £16,000 and £2,740 costs. Costain, Skanska and Mowlem were fined £7,000 and £910 costs each.

Health & Safety Executive inspector John Underwood said: "The critical isue in this case is that even for small companies, those involved in doing the work must be properly briefed by those planning the work, so that people know what to do if things go wrong. Sadly this did not happen in this case."