Health & Safety re Grass cutting on public highways

[smptrds]

If a mechanically driven 'Frail' grass cutting machine with large/fast rotating cutters is in use on a dual carriageway central reservation, is it a safe distance for the public to still drive down the inner lane some 6-8 yards away?
I have read that a minimum distance of 300feet from the machine should be adhered to.
Two vehicles were damaged within seconds from flying stones which could have killed a motorcyclist or car passengers had it gone through an open window.

[boxtops]

I take it that this is the same incident? http://www.theanswerb.../Question1066639.html

[Maydup]

doesn't sound very safe, maybe an idea to write to the local highways dept and raise the question with them giving specific examples. Perhaps they'd close one lane in future or cut the grass in the early hours.

[factor-fiction]

You could try approaching a solicitor or claims firm unless you feel confident to pursue it yourself though the claims courts.
Or you could report it to the HSE (health and safety executive)

[NOX]

The word is ' flail mower'. I used to have a contract doing this for a local authority and the guidelines were very simply- warning signs had to be erected at the beginning of the stretch of road where the mowing was taking place if a single carriageway- if a dual carriageway things varied from having the whole of the inner lane cordoned off with cones to having an illuminated chaser vehicle depending on the business of the road, although at no time was the traffic further than one lane away from the mower and 300ft would mean that the road would have to be closed completely- which no-one is keen to do. This may have changed but I doubt it.

[bednobs]

300 ft would mean that rad and most of the surrounding roads shut i would have thought

[smptrds]

boxtops - yes, it is the same incident but I posted this question as things have moved on. The council and their insurers have informed me that I was the only claimant on that day, even when a second vehicle was damaged at the same time and had a large dent in his rear panel.
Fortunately, this driver took my details on the day and has since contacted me. His statement of claim is identical to mine and he has had the same reply from both the council and their same insurance handler who denied any other claimants to me.
As both have deliberately lied with regards to my question about a second claimant and they refuse to compensate us for damages even when we were told that there would be no trouble with our claim by their foreman, we are both taking this claim further and I need as much information as possible about health and safety practices.

[bednobs]

Try this... :-)
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais25.pdf

[smptrds]

Thank you bednobs, very helpful.

[Old_Geezer]

Warning signs ? As a driver I'd see them (hopefully) and think, "Thanks for the warning", but I'd expect the road has remained open because it is still ok to drive down, it being the authority's responsibility to ensure that is so. This just confirms my opinion that authorities don't care; we pay for them and they just do what they want.

[smptrds]

Spot on old_geezer. There were no signs and they were cutting over a stoned drainage system with large stones.