Bollard that killed young boy was ‘unstable’
Posted: November 20, 2014
Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries Public Place Accidents Wrongful & Accidental Death
A court has heard that the bollard responsible for the death of a young boy at the Royal Highland Show in 2008 was ‘unstable’. Three-year-old Ben Craggs died from severe head injuries after the concrete bollard toppled onto him at the showground six years ago. The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland denies all eight charges brought under the Health and Safety at Work Act, despite farmer Stephen Crawford saying that he thought two of the bollards to have been ‘unstable’.
Failed to secure the bollards with clamping
Mr Crawford had parked his lorry next to the bollards before the accident happened. He said the two bollards were connected by a piece of rope that was not tied tightly. It was heard in court that Ben had grabbed hold of the rope when he slipped, pulling one of the concrete posts on top of him. The boy’s father and a security guard lifted the post off of him, after which he was immediately rushed to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. He later died from his head injuries.
It was heard that the Agricultural Society had failed to clamp the bollards in place, meaning that they were free to be pulled over. The court ruled that the society had failed to employ a qualified health and safety coordinator, and had failed to identify the potential risks of the unstable bollards.
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