Contractor MJ Gleeson has been fined 拢50,000 after a quantity surveyor was run over and killed on one of its sites.

Last Friday Gleeson pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to failing to implement a safe traffic management system. The contractor was also ordered to pay 拢15,000 in costs.

Brian Gibson, 51, was run over by a reversing forklift truck in April 2003 while on a site in North Hill, Leeds, where flats were being built for university students.

Michael Elliker, prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive, said that Gleeson had failed to ensure that safety systems on site kept pace with the building work.

鈥淎s part of their obligation to set up the layout of the site, it was necessary for them to have a traffic management system,鈥� he said.

鈥淭his would ensure traffic moved within the confines of the site without jeopardising the safety of men working and walking across the site.鈥�

Prashant Popat, for Gleeson, said the company accepted that it was responsible for failing to adapt safety measures as building work developed.

He added that the company had a good safety record and said this was not a question of the firm putting profit before safety.