Activity company fined following school-trip accident

A Birmingham-based adventure activity and team building company has been fined after a child was hit by a car and seriously injured while on a school trip.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard how, in March 2017, a group of teenage school children from Birmingham were taking part in a walking expedition on the outskirts of Birmingham.

The route being taken required the group and their supervisor to cross the A45 dual carriageway near Meriden at around 4pm.

After waiting for a gap in the traffic some of the children started crossing the road when one of the pupils was struck by a car travelling in the outside lane. The 15-year-old suffered multiple fractures as a result of the collision.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Freax, the company responsible for the expedition had not planned the route to allow for safe passage across the dual carriageway.

There were no specific traffic control measures in place at the crossing point used by the group, and the company chose not to use a footbridge about 400 metres away as part of the expedition route.

Freax of Nechells Park Road was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £22,455.16 in costs.

HSE inspector Richard Littlefair said: “This case highlights the importance of planning for safety when organising such outdoor activities involving school children.

“Children should be allowed to take part in challenging activities, however there is a balance to be struck between protecting children from the most serious risks and allowing them to reap the benefits of participating.

“Companies should make sure that challenging activities are managed in a sensible and proportionate way so that children are not exposed to unnecessary risk of serious personal injury or death.’’