Firm fined £800,000 after boy, 10, died falling down manhole

A company has been fined £800,000 for safety failures which led to a 10-year-old boy falling to his death.

Shea Ryan died after falling down a manhole on a construction site in Drumchapel, Glasgow, on 16 July 2020.

The Crown Office said Glasgow Sheriff Court was told that Shea, along with other children, got into the site through an insecure fence.

He was able to access a maintenance hole and begin to climb down before slipping and falling more than six metres to the bottom, sustaining fatal injuries.

Contractors RJ McLeod was fined £800,000 at the court on Friday, having previously pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws.

The company was also ordered to pay a £60,000 victim surcharge.

An investigation by Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found insufficient measures had been taken to prevent children gaining access to the construction site.

In a statement released through legal firm Digby Brown, Shea’s mother Joanne Ferguson said: “I am glad RJ McLeod finally admitted guilt.

“My son is not here and that destroys me every day.

“That totally avoidable accident has ruined my life and my kids’ lives. I don’t even feel human anymore at times because of the grief."

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said a fatal accident inquiry would be held into Shea’s death.

Speaking after the sentencing, Debbie Carroll, who leads on health and safety investigations at COPFS, added: “This prosecution should remind duty holders that a failure to manage and implement effective measures can have fatal consequences and they will be held accountable for this failure."

HSE principal inspector Graeme McMinn said: “Shea should never have been able to get on to and play on that site.

“The security measures should have taken account of the adjacent children’s playpark and the likelihood of children trying to gain access.”

Mr McMinn said the construction industry must do everything it can to keep children out of construction sites and “away from danger to prevent a tragedy such as this happening again”.

A spokesperson for RJ McLeod (Contractors) Limited said the firm “fully accepts the outcome and ruling of the court”.

They added: “We have carried out a comprehensive review of the event and have taken action to protect against the risk of a re-occurrence.”