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Sky News
6 days ago
- Sky News
Death of boy, 10, who fell down Glasgow construction site manhole was 'avoidable', inquiry finds
The death of a 10-year-old boy who fell down an open manhole at a construction site in Glasgow could have been avoided, a sheriff has determined. Shea Ryan suffered fatal injuries after he slipped from a ladder and plummeted more than six metres down the shaft at the Drumchapel site in July 2020. The schoolboy and his friends had gained access through an unsecured fence. In April 2023, RJ McLeod (Contractors) Ltd was fined £800,000 and ordered to pay a £60,000 victim surcharge after the firm admitted breaching health and safety laws. A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) was ordered following the court case. Unlike criminal proceedings, FAIs are inquisitorial in nature and are used to establish facts rather than to apportion blame. In his determination, Sheriff Stuart Reid found there were five reasonable precautions that could have been taken by RJ McLeod and Amey Black & Veatch that may have prevented Shea's death. About two weeks before the incident, Amey Black & Veatch had temporarily transferred the site over to RJ McLeod. Sheriff Reid said a lack of cooperation and communication between the two firms contributed to Shea's fatal accident. Amey Black & Veatch was found to have removed a heavy bag of building material from the top of the manhole shortly before leaving the site. The company also failed to disclose knowledge of multiple incidents of vandalism to the perimeter fencing in the vicinity of a nearby play park and public footpath. Amey Black & Veatch additionally failed to flag up multiple reports of unauthorised access to the site by children and others. The sheriff said RJ McLeod failed to take "reasonable and sufficient measures" to prevent the unauthorised access. As well as failing to inspect and maintain suitable perimeter fencing, the firm also failed to check the manhole at the end of each working day to ensure it was fully covered and not accessible to children. Sheriff Reid made eight recommendations - seven of which were for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to review existing practices, policies and procedures and to consider revising them. These included a review of published guidance to protect children, record incidents of perimeter breaches, prevent unauthorised access to incomplete manholes, and greater cooperation and information sharing between principal contractors. The sheriff also recommended for Glasgow City Council and other local authorities to review their procedures when play parks are located near a construction site. Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatality investigations for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: "Shea Ryan's tragic death has been a catastrophic loss for his family. "They have my deepest sympathy as they continue to deal with the pain they have suffered." Digby Brown Solicitors, which represents Shea's family, welcomed the sheriff's recommendations. A spokesperson for the firm said the determination showed the schoolboy's death was an "avoidable tragedy", adding: "There will never be the words that accurately describe the anger, pain and grief Shea's family are continuing to feel five years since that night."
Daily Mail
05-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Death of schoolboy, 10, who fell 20ft down a manhole near a playpark 'could have been avoided'
The death of a young boy who fell down an open manhole at a construction site could have been avoided, a sheriff has determined. Shea Ryan, 10, was able to bypass insecure fencing at the site situated 60 metres from a children's play park in Glasgow 's Drumchapel on July 16 2020. Shea sat on the open manhole which had a drop of 6.3 metres to the ground. He was overheard saying that he wanted to 'go down.' Shea unfortunately slipped from a ladder at the entrance of the manhole to the water below. He was later found cold to the touch with severe head injuries and was not breathing. Contractors RJ McLeod were fined £860,000 in April 2023 after they pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to failing to implement safety measures. A fatal accident inquiry into Shea's death took place at the same court before Sheriff Stuart Reid. The sheriff determined that there were five reasonable precautions which could have been taken which realistically could have prevented Shea's death. The probe heard that company Amey Black & Veatch who were working at the site removed a bag of material from the manhole shortly before they transferred the site over to RJ McLeod. Sheriff Reid stated that poor co-operation between Amey Black and Veatch and RJ McLeod contributed to the death. This included communication about the general risks associated with the construction site. Another contributory reason of death was stated to be the failure of RJ McLeod to take measures to prevent unauthorised access to the manhole. The sheriff suggested a metal lid or a heavy object could have been used as well as fully enclosed fencing around the manhole. A further stated reason of death was RJ McLeod's failure to assess the risk of unauthorised people such as children gaining access to the site. There was a lack of inspection and maintenance of the parameter fencing to prevent unauthorised access to the site. Furthermore, there was failure to inspect the manhole at the end of the working day to see if it was fully closed with no access for children. Another cause of death was stated to be Shea climbing into the manhole and his intention of climbing down the ladder. The sheriff claimed another cause was the removal of the heavy bag of material from the manhole before the transfer to RJ McLeod. Sheriff Reid further stated that a contributory factor were defects in the system of work. The probe was told that there was no system for RJ McLeod employees to record, monitor, document or report incidents of damage to the construction site and its parameter fencing. The sheriff further cited the site's proximity to a children's play park to the construction site as another relevant factor. Furthermore, the Covid-19 lockdown which resulted in school closures also contributed. Sheriff Reid made eight recommendations at his determination. The sheriff asked for a review of The Health and Safety Executive's published guidance on construction to promote the objective of protecting children from risks at construction sites. Sheriff Reid also asked for incidents of parameter breaches to be recorded and action taken to prevent it happening again. Another recommendation is for manholes to be covered by a heavy object to prevent them from being accessed out with operational hours. The sheriff further asked there to be a duty of co-operation between contractors working on construction sites. Further to this, it was recommended that information be shared between contractors which includes unauthorised access to sites, vandalism as well as disorderly conduct by members of the public towards workers. The sheriff also recommended that information should be shared between contractors in terms of risks of injury or death and measures taken to control it. Another recommendation was for contractors to highlight the risks in terms of children's play parks. This includes risks of damage to fencing near the play parks as well as the unauthorised access from children to the sites. The sheriff has stated that contractors should consider taking enhanced precautionary measures due to the increased risks. Sheriff Reid lastly recommended that Glasgow City Council and other local authorities should review their procedures when it comes to play parks located near a construction site. This includes a risk assessment to see if there are any dangers of having a play park in the vicinity of a construction site. The council have been asked to determine if the risks can be controlled and if the park should remain open during the period of construction. This also includes temporarily dismantling or relocating a play park. Sheriff Reid said: 'I wish to acknowledge the particular courage and kindness of Mr Graeme Paterson, Mr Jamie Adams, and Constables Bryan Courtney, Holly McConnachie and Nigel McDonald, who, being among the first adults at the scene of the accident, tried so valiantly to save Shea's life. 'Lastly, may I express my sincere condolences to Shea's mother, Joanne Ferguson, and to his step-father and family, for their loss. 'Some small solace may perhaps be drawn from the outcome of this Inquiry, and the protections from which other children may hopefully benefit.'
BBC News
05-08-2025
- BBC News
Death of Shéa Ryan who fell down manhole was avoidable
The death of a 10-year-old boy who fell down an open manhole at a construction site could have been avoided, a sheriff has Ryan died on 16 July 2020 when he climbed through an unsecured fence on a building site in Drumchapel, Glasgow, and fell 20ft (6.1 metres) down a manhole company RJ McLeod was fined £860,000 in April 2023 for failing to secure the site, where work had also been done by Amey Black & Stuart Reid headed up a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) which found that there were five reasonable precautions that could have been taken by the two companies to prevent Shéa's death. Unlike a criminal trial, an FAI seeks to establish the facts surrounding the death and does not look to place blame. The inquiry heard that Shéa entered the construction site with his friends and told them he wanted to climb down a he slipped from a ladder at the manhole entrance to the water below, and was later found unconscious with severe head Black & Veatch had transferred the site over to RJ McLeod two weeks before the Reid said that poor cooperation and communication between the two companies contributed to the contributing factor was that Amey Black & Veatch had removed a heavy bag of material from the manhole shortly before they left the sheriff also said that RJ McLeod failed to prevent unauthorised access to the manhole and failed to assess the risk of unauthorised people accessing the was also a lack of inspection and maintenance of the parameter fencing, and a failure to inspect the manhole at the end of the working day to make sure it was closed. 'Catastrophic loss' The sheriff made eight recommendations - seven of which were for the Health and Safety Executive to review existing procedures and to consider revising included a review of guidance to protect children, record incidents of perimeter breaches and prevent unauthorised access to incomplete recommended better cooperation and information sharing between principal contractors on incidents of unauthorised access and vandalism on building site was 197ft (60m) from a children's playpark, which was considered a contributing factor in the sheriff recommended that Glasgow City Council and other local authorities should review their procedures when play parks are located near a construction fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said the inquiry was launched after the circumstances of Shéa's death caused "significant public concern".He said: "Shéa Ryan's tragic death has been a catastrophic loss for his family. "They have my deepest sympathy as they continue to deal with the pain they have suffered."Digby Brown, the solicitors who represented Shéa's family, welcomed the recommendations but said the determination showed his death was an "avoidable tragedy".
