A COUNCIL has been fined after an astonishing video showed a white line painter working without protection almost get hit by an overtaking vehicle.
North Lanarkshire Council have been slapped with a £5,500 fine from the Scottish Road Works Commissioner as a result of the footage which emerged in September last year.
The workman can be seen ambling along in the middle of a busy road without any traffic cones, barriers or lights to offer protection or warning to drivers.
The disturbing safety lapse, which was filmed in Shotts, North Lanarkshire, almost turned to tragedy when a driver decided to overtake just as the speed limit on the road changes to 60mph.
After the shocking video emerged, North Lanarkshire Council launched an investigation, and now the Scottish Road Works Commissioner has imposed a fine on the council, as they employed the contractor.
Road Works Commissioner Angus Carmichael said: “The performance of North Lanarkshire Council has been monitored as part of my ongoing review scheme.
“In general, the performance of the council has appeared satisfactory.
“However, recent events have revealed significant failures in terms of safety and coordination.
“Road works carried out on behalf of the authority, by contractors, resulted in endangering road workers and the general public.
“These works were not recorded on the Scottish Road Works Register and appropriate traffic management was not in place.
“As the failures are of a very serious nature, compromising both safety of those working for the roads authority and the public, I have decided to impose a penalty of £5,500 to send a clear message to all organisations undertaking road works that poor performance is unacceptable and that all legislation must be followed.”
Neil Greig, policy and research director of the IAM RoadSmart motoring group, said: “As corporate fines go it’s pretty paltry, but the main thing is it sends a clear message to councils that they need to tighten up their safety procedures for road workers.”
The clip, obtained by road safety website SWD Media, shows a line of traffic making its way along Westcraigs Road in Harthill, passing a damaged and barely-noticeable road work sign around a quarter mile before the incident happens.
The driver of a white Nissan pickup decides to over take as they approach the national speed limit signs – despite not being able to properly see ahead and crossing over hatched white lines.
A road worker suddenly appears, pushing a road marking pan machine – with his back to traffic and no signs of any kind of protection.
The truck driver and the other vehicle following are forced to drive to the right of the man – who carries out without even flinching.
Robert Steenson, Assistant Chief Executive of North Lanarkshire Council said: “We are disappointed an appointed road lining contractor didn’t comply with their obligations for the necessary health and safety at work procedures.
“We are working fully with the Scottish Road Works Commissioner to ensure all contractors meet their health and safety requirements.”
In March 2017 a workman was filmed standing in a manhole in a busy road with just two traffic cones as protection.
The jaw-dropping clip captured a car forced to swerve around the man as he nonchalantly works away in a busy Edinburgh street.
The workman’s contractors, CityFibre, were later fined £35,000 by the Scottish Road Works Commissioner for ‘a number of serious failures’ to comply with road works legislation.
