A building worker, from Wavertree was killed in Kirkby back in Sept 2000 at the Ashton Downs building project on Bewley Drive, Southdene. Harold Moran, aged 54, was killed when a forklift truck reversed over him. The contractors: George Wimpey North West, had only recently appeared at Liverpool Crown Court (August 04 2003) and they were fined a total of £150,000 plus costs of £56,000 for breaching a health and safety regulation in that they failed to ensure workers were not exposed to risks from moving vehicles. It is 100% certain that George Wimpey or Mc Lean Homes as they were also known still made a massive profit building the Ashton Downs homes which consisted of 90 + homes being built. Even more houses are being built there now.

Echo fails to mention George Wimpey pleaded not guilty!

The Echo headlined the article with 'Fine for building site tragedy' - This wasn't a tragedy it was negligence and an accident waiting to happen. It is worth noting the Echo did not mention that George Wimpey pleaded not guilty - could this be due to the considerable advertising revenue which the Echo must receive off Wimpey homes or their agents or it could be due to poor journalism? It's a vital point as pleading not guilty would have caused considerable hurt and unnecessary trauma to Harold's' Widow Anne. George Wimpey were obviously saving money by allowing the vehicles to reverse out, the space which could have been used to allow vehicles to actually turn round was taken up by building houses. Time is money as they say - and holding back building a few houses would have cost them. In their haste to save money they possibly cost a man his life. George Wimpey endangered the workers and visitors to the building site and a man lies dead. George Wimpey has been simply slapped on the wrist.

Worker dies yet Wimpey boast in Court that they have 'won awards for health and safety'

The death occurred after vehicles gaining entrance to the building site had no room to turn round and so had to reverse to get back out again. This is an obvious danger given the massive volume of traffic in building so many houses and it proved to be fatal as Mr Moran was crushed by a heavy fork lift truck reversing out. The contractor George Wimpey Northwest presumably agued that they had done no wrong in court and put Mr Moran's family through the added trauma as those deemed responsible for his death denied that responsibility. The Court found George Wimpey North West had fallen significantly short of carrying out there duties regarding the Health and Safety of the workers at the site. In a pathetic attempt to gain some credibility - the Wimpey QC Graham Wood told the court that the contractor had 'won awards for health and safety' Lets hope none of Mr Moran's bereaved relatives were in Court to hear that sick boast. Wood went on further to add that "Neither this Court nor the Public should view the defendant company as putting profits before people" Oh really? Why not? Anyone with one brain-cell in working order knows that the reason the vehicle was reversing was down to money! A fine is not enough for this outfit, the site manager and/or the directors of George Wimpey/ Mc Clean Homes should have been jailed. Once we begin to jail a few of the bosses and company directors we will see dramatic improvements in safety. If they risk lives to simply boost up the profits - they should be dragged screaming to a cell in Walton Jail. Company law as it stands comes from a sick past where individual bosses needed a way of shirking any responsibility - they formed 'limited companies' and if a worker was killed - it was easy to deny any individual responsibility. The law still protects bosses and allows them to kill us without being subject to the law as it stands for the individual.

Workers - Wise up! - Think Safety!

It is easy to observe many construction workers here working in Kirkby who sadly seem to have little regard for health and safety matters. This includes not wearing hard hats whilst on building sites, and also workers using various machinery and tools without taking appropriate safety measures. One instance of this is the number of workers using angle grinders without wearing eye protection. Workers contracted by KHT to build walls in Northwood were spotted doing this, as were the workers in Kirkby Town Centre who were building the new shops there. Anyone using an angle grinder without protective safety goggles is an idiot. Remember, the bosses are happy to see YOU risk yourself life and limb. Don't do it. Follow safety procedures and join a Union.

Did you know?

'Between April 2000 and March 2001, 106 construction workers in the UK were killed on sites and 4,672 were injured, at enormous personal loss to their families and communities. The construction industry employs around seven per cent of the workforce but accounts for 30 per cent of all reported accidents.'

This article is dedicated to all the workers killed and injured on UK building sites.

Harold Moran may be just a statistic to some. Even as webmaster of Kirkby Times, it was news to me that a Worker had been killed trying to build homes for people here. Maybe someone who knew or worked with Harold might care to email in telling us more about him - any workers who work in unsafe conditions are encouraged to email their accounts which can at least be publicised so we know what we are fighting. Kirkby Times will try to see if there can be a small memorial put up for Harold Moran - maybe his family would appreciate it.

Some links of interest………..

Workers Memorial Day takes place every April 28th, an international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work. In a world where death, injury and illness at work are hidden away and taken for granted, it is an opportunity to highlight the preventable nature of most workplace accidents and ill health and to promote campaigns and union organisation in the fight for improvements in workplace safety. The slogan for the day is Remember the dead - Fight for the living. More here

Health and Safety Executive

Note - after visiting the site where Harold was killed I found local residents up in arms over what they see as dangers which come from the latest building project using a residential area (Ashton Downs now renamed) as a through way to another massive building site. An article will be put up soon. Resident's spoke of seeing Lorries reverse on there Estate and breaking the speed limits and other agreements made between tenants and contactors being broken. A resident agreed to pass a report on to Kirkby Times. Good luck to anyone living there.