School Transport Safety

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has informed Bridgend County Borough Council that it will be prosecuted following a transport collision which lead to the death of a pupil at Maesteg Comprehensive School, on 10 December 2014.

A 15 year old pupil at Maesteg Comprehensive was involved in a collision with a minibus on the school grounds. He suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bridgend County Borough Council will appear in court at a date to be confirmed, to face a charge under Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974.

This transport incident serves as a reminder of the high risk of vehicle movements on school premises and in close proximity to pedestrians including children. Schools should ensure that they have a written risk assessment covering the movement of vehicles and where practicable, segregation of vehicles and pedestrian routes.

School transport safety

When planning workplace traffic routes, take account of the following requirements;

• They must be suitable for the people and vehicles using them and organised so that they can both move around safely.
• Where vehicles and pedestrians share a traffic route, there must be enough separation between them (segregation).
• Pedestrians or vehicles must be able to use a traffic route without causing danger to the health or safety of people working near it.
• Vehicle routes must be far enough away from doors or gates that pedestrians use, or from pedestrian routes that lead on to them, so the safety of pedestrians is not threatened.
• Every traffic route must have a well-drained surface that is suitable for its purpose and must not be so uneven, potholed, sloped or slippery that it might expose anyone to a risk to their health or safety.
• They must, so far as is reasonably practicable, be kept free from obstructions and anything that may cause anyone to slip, trip or fall.
• They must have appropriate markings and signs where necessary for health or safety reasons.

Segregating pedestrians from vehicles, preferably by making routes entirely separate, is the most effective way of protecting them. Consider making pedestrian traffic routes correspond to the paths people would naturally follow when walking across a school site (often known as ‘desire lines’).

Keep pedestrians away from areas where people are working in or with vehicles unless they need to be there. Make sure any visiting pedestrians report to the site office and tell them about site safety policies and procedures before they are allowed into areas where vehicles operate. Where appropriate, pedestrians may need to wear high-visibility clothing.

If you require health and safety advice for your school please contact one of the Jacksons Team.