Manufacturer fined after worker suffers life-changing injuries in conveyor incident
Maintenance engineer suffered catastrophic, life-changing injuries after his arm was pulled into an unguarded conveyor
Working alone, he waved at a CCTV camera for help after becoming trapped in the machinery
Factory Services UK Limited fined £160,000 after pleading guilty to health and safety breaches
A Merseyside animal‑feed manufacturer has been sentenced after a maintenance engineer suffered severe, life‑changing injuries when his arm was drawn into an unguarded conveyor.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Factory Services UK Limited allowed workers access to dangerous parts of machinery for many years at its site on Moorgate Road, Deacon Park, Knowsley Industrial Park, L33 7RX.
On 18 March 2025, maintenance engineer Daniel Slinger was working a nightshift when he was asked to look at an issue on a conveyor. While the conveyor was still running, Mr Slinger reached through a hole in the side of the conveyor casing to clear away some material. His arm was pulled into the moving machinery. There was no guard in place and no emergency stop button in the area.
Working alone at the time, there was nobody nearby to see or hear what had happened. In an effort to raise the alarm, he repeatedly waved at a CCTV camera in the hope that someone monitoring the system would spot him and come to his aid, nobody did. Eventually, after 40 seconds, he was able to free his arm. This was despite the company’s own safe systems of work requiring machinery to be guarded and isolated before any maintenance or cleaning activity was carried out.
Mr Slinger suffered catastrophic injuries to his forearm and hand, including a fracture and extensive degloving. He required multiple operations, blood transfusions and continues to receive ongoing specialist treatment. He remains unable to return to work.
HSE’s investigation established that the hole had been cut into the conveyor years earlier to allow workers to clear blockages while the machine remained in operation. A second conveyor on site was also found to have a similar unauthorised access point. Despite routine inspections, management walkarounds and audits, the dangerous modifications had not been identified or rectified.
Following the incident, the company fitted a fixed mesh guard and installed an emergency stop button at the location.
Factory Services UK Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 8 September 2026. They were fined £160,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4728.
Following the hearing, HSE Inspector, Ian Betley, said:
“Mr Slinger suffered devastating and life-altering injuries as a result of this preventable incident. Had the correct protections been in place he would not have been exposed to the dangerous parts of a running conveyor through a hole cut into the machine.
“Factory Services UK Limited had risk assessments and safe systems of work, but they were not followed or enforced. Employers must ensure guarding is properly maintained, safe systems are implemented, and workers are protected from foreseeable risks.”
This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Alan Hughes and paralegal officer Henrietta Ruthven.
Two companies and an individual sentenced after worker crushed by two tonnes of soil in trench collapse
Gheorghita Arsene, 33, died after being buried under around two tonnes of soil when the trench collapsed at a site in Banstead on 24 June 2020.
A joint investigation found that the trench had no supports to prevent it from collapsing and soil had been piled right next to the edge.
The collapse happened during work to replace a damaged pipe at the bottom of a deep excavation.
Two companies and a self-employed contracts manager have been sentenced after a worker was crushed to death when an unsupported trench collapsed at a site in Surrey.
Gheorghita Arsene, 33, who was known as Geo, was working at a site on Park Road, Banstead, Surrey on 24 June 2020. He had been working to replace a damaged pipe at the bottom of the deep trench, which had been dug with a three-tonne digger. He had been clearing soil with a shovel and a pickaxe when, without warning, the trench walls collapsed. Although rescue attempts were made, he was buried in approximately 2 tonnes of soil and sadly died at the scene.
A joint investigation by Surrey Police and the Health and Safety Executive over five years found there were no supports in the trench and excavated soil had been deposited immediately next to it. The investigation also found that, earlier that day, Anthony O’Connor a self-employed contracts manager working for T Vaughan Limited, had observed another worker in the same unsupported excavation earlier that day. Despite being aware of the measures required to prevent a trench collapse, he failed to ensure they were in place.
Earlier that day, O’Connor had observed another worker carrying out work in the same unsupported excavation. As an experienced contracts manager, he knew suitable measures were required to prevent a trench collapse but failed to ensure they were implemented.
Following a trial at the Old Bailey on 9 September 2026, principal contractor Appledorn Developments Limited and subcontractor T Vaughan Limited were convicted of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
T Vaughan Limited was fined £650,000 and ordered to pay costs of £40,000.
Appledorn Developments Limited was fined £500,000.
Anthony O’Connor, a self-employed contracts manager working for T Vaughan Limited, pleaded guilty on 22 May 2026 to breaching Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 by failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others who may have been affected by his acts or omissions at work.
He was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.
A Health and Safety Executive spokesperson said:
“Gheorghita Arsene’s death was as horrifying as it was preventable. He lost his life because basic precautions were not in place to protect workers from the well-known risks that come with excavation work. Anthony O’Connor had observed workers in the trench without adequate protection and was aware of the measures required to prevent a collapse.
“This case is a stark reminder that when basic safety standards are ignored, the consequences can be fatal. Companies and individuals alike have legal duties to protect workers and where they fail to do so, and we will not hesitate to take enforcement action.
“Our thoughts today are with Mr Arsene’s loved ones, as they mourn their loss.”
This prosecution was brought by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Further Information
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.
Farmer fined after ATV overturn kills employee
Colin Williams died at the scene after being crushed under an All Terrian Vehicle (ATV)
Neither of the men in the ATV were wearing seatbelts or had received adequate training to safely use the vehicle
Following the death of a farm employee in Monmouthshire after an ATV he was a passenger in overturned, the owner of the farm, Allen Roberts, has been fined £5500.
The ATV was being driven down a hillside at Wyesham, Monmouthshire, when the incident occurred on 25 August 2022. The driver of the ATV lost control of the vehicle and Mr Williams, 58, was ejected from the vehicle which did not have any doors.
He suffered fatal crush injuries and died at the scene.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that neither Colin Williams or the driver of the vehicle had been provided with adequate training and neither of the men were wearing seat belts. The investigation also found that no routine pre-use checks were made on any of the vehicles owned by Allen Roberts that were used on the farm to ensure they were safe to use.
The investigation identified that the tyres of the ATV were improperly inflated, with differing pressures in each tyre, which should have been rectified before the vehicle was used. The vehicle was being driven in a high gear and two-wheel drive when it should have been in a low gear and four-wheel drive. The keys to the ATV were not adequately controlled and were available to anyone who was on the farm, including those not adequately trained.
Colin Williams was the only employee of Hill Farm and he was being assisted by the driver of the ATV in the clearance of vegetation and trees from a farm access route.
HSE guidance states employers must provide employees who use All-Terrain vehicles (ATV’s) with adequate training and instruction on their safe use. Any operators using the ATV owned by Allen Roberts should have received training in the safe method of operating the type of terrain that was present on the farm and should have been instructed to wear seatbelts where there was a foreseeable risk of overturn. There should have been a system for pre-use inspections to be carried out to ensure defects were identified and remedial actions taken before the vehicle was used.
Allen Roberts, of Hill Farm, Monmouth, pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined £5500 and ordered to pay £5813 in costs at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on 2 September 2026.
HSE Principal Inspector Damian Corbett said the dangers associated with ATVs in agriculture and forestry were well known.
“Anyone operating these machines should have the right training and be wearing seat belts when travelling,” he said.
“This accident was a tragic consequence of a lack of training, and a lack of basic safety precautions which cost a family a husband and a father.
“Employers must ensure that those entrusted to operate vehicles are properly trained and instructed to wear seat belts or safety equipment where there is a risk.”
The prosecution was brought by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Julian White and Paralegal Officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.
Further information
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.
Baked goods company fined £333,333 after worker suffers broken arm
Worker suffered multiple fractures after arm was caught in unguarded conveyor machinery.
HSE investigation found the company failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
HSE guidance explains employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous machinery.
A baked goods manufacturer has been fined £333,333 after a worker suffered multiple fractures, including a broken arm when it became entangled in a sausage roll conveyor line.
Ribeca Jesuthasan was working for David Wood Baking Limited at the company’s food manufacturing factory in Sheerness, Kent, on 1 December 2023.
Ms Jesuthasan was cleaning a sausage roll production line when she passed her hand through an unguarded conveyor roller. Although the conveyor line had initially been switched off, it began to operate while she was cleaning it.
Her arm was pulled into the rotating roller, causing multiple fractures.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that David Wood Baking Limited had failed to prevent access to the rotating parts of the sausage roll conveyor line.
Employers have a legal duty to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. This will normally involve the use of fixed guarding. Where routine access is required, interlocked guards may be necessary to prevent dangerous parts moving before a person can reach the danger zone.
HSE guidance, A recipe for safety: Health and safety in food and drink manufacture (HSG252), covers the main health and safety hazards in the food and drink industries and provides practical advice on how to manage the associated risks.
David Wood Baking Limited of Calverley Road, Leeds, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £333,333 and ordered to pay £7644 in costs at Medway Court on 1 September 2026.
HSE inspector Delcina Burden said:
“Too many workers are seriously injured every year as a result of contact with dangerous parts of machinery due to inadequate or absent guarding.
“If simple measures had been taken, this incident could have been avoided.
“The sentence handed down by the court in this case should demonstrate that the courts and HSE take breaches of health and safety law seriously. We will not hesitate to take action against companies that fail to do all they can to keep people safe.”
The HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan, paralegal officer Anushka Lulith, and prosecution advocate Ruksana Begum.
Further information
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.
Scrap yard fined after father and son injured by collapsing metal pile
Father and son were injured when a large pile of scrap metal collapsed onto them.
HSE found members of the public were not adequately segregated from workplace transport and machinery.
Incident followed an earlier near miss involving the same excavator.
A scrap metal recycling company has been fined after two members of the public were injured when a large pile of scrap metal collapsed onto them at its site in Scunthorpe.
PPS Metal Recycling Ltd pleaded guilty after failing to protect members of the public from risks at its site.
On 6 February 2025, a father and son were unloading scrap metal when a 360-degree excavator fitted with a grab attachment was operating nearby. As the machine removed material from a large stockpile of scrap metal a part of the pile collapsed, causing heavy pieces of scrap to fall onto the two. Both were taken to hospital following the incident and one sustained a broken leg.
The unstable metal
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the excavator had been operating in close proximity to members of the public for around 20 minutes before the incident. The company had failed to put suitable controls in place to prevent members of the public from being exposed to the risks created by moving machinery and unstable stockpiles.
HSE also identified that this incident followed an earlier near miss on 27 January 2025, when the rotating cab of the same excavator struck the side of a member of the public’s vehicle as they unloaded scrap. Although no one was harmed during the earlier incident, the underlying failures were the same.
The scrap yard
HSE guidance, HSG136: A guide to workplace transport safety, states that pedestrians and vehicles should be segregated so far as is reasonably practicable. Waste and recycling sites should ensure suitable traffic management arrangements are in place to protect workers and members of the public from moving vehicles and machinery.
Following the incident, HSE served a Prohibition Notice preventing the excavator from operating close to pedestrians. The company subsequently introduced a separate area for public unloading, installed signage, implemented a supervised unloading system and developed a traffic management plan incorporating barriered walkways.
HSE Inspector Joe Fitzgerald, who led the investigation, said:
“These two members of the public were fortunate not to have been even more seriously injured or killed.
“This incident was entirely avoidable. Members of the public should not have been exposed to the risks created by heavy machinery and unstable stockpiles.
“Employers must ensure effective arrangements are in place to segregate pedestrians from workplace transport and mobile plant. Had suitable controls been implemented, this incident and the earlier near miss would not have occurred.”
At Grimsby Magistrates’ Court on 1 September 2026, PPS Metal Recycling Ltd was sentenced after previously pleading guilty at a hearing on 30 July 2026 to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £40,000 and must pay costs of £6,181.
This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan, paralegal officer Henrietta Ruthven, and advocacy was undertaken by enforcement lawyer Arfaq Nabi.
Further information:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in Scotland can be found here.
Six-figure fine for fish processing company after supervisor suffered life-threatening injuries
Pelagia Shetland Limited fined after man was injured in machinery
41-year-old was clearing a blockage when the machine restarted
He was airlifted to hospital after suffering multiple broken bones
A fish processing company has been fined £451,500 after a supervisor suffered multiple fractures and two collapsed lungs when he became entangled in a palletiser machine at its Lerwick plant.
Pelagia Shetland Limited, of Point of Scattland, Gremista, Lerwick, pleaded guilty to health and safety failings following the incident.
On 10 October 2024, Curtis New, a 41-year-old forklift supervisor was called to clear a blockage and, finding an interlocking safety gate difficult to open, removed a panel and entered the machine area. As he walked along the stationary conveyor to reach the blockage, he triggered a sensor which restarted the machine, and he was struck repeatedly by its pushers before a colleague hit an emergency stop button.
Mr New was treated at the scene by first aiders before being airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he spent 10 days in intensive care and a further 10 days in a high dependency unit. He suffered eight fractured ribs, a pelvis fractured in five places, a fractured clavicle and scapula, and two collapsed lungs. He was later transferred to Gilbert Bain Hospital for rehabilitation, and has since said he does not wish to return to his role.
An investigation by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors found that perimeter safety fencing around the machine, designed to isolate its power supply whenever the interlocking safety gate was opened, had become insecure after a panel was damaged.
The gate had been struck by a forklift truck in early 2024, damaging its locking mechanism and making it difficult to open. Rather than use the gate, two senior staff, including Mr New, had taken to removing the loose panel to clear frequent blockages in the machine, without isolating the power first.
Pelagia Shetland reported the incident to HSE on the day it happened and following an investigation, the company reinstated its perimeter fencing so that the gate is now the only means of accessing the machine. They also updated safety practices to make clear that staff must never bypass safety barriers, on pain of disciplinary action.
Pelagia Shetland Limited, of Point of Scattland, Gremista, Lerwick, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 11 (1) and (2) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £420,000 and must pay a victim surcharge of £31,500 at Lerwick Sheriff Court on 26 August 2026.
HSE inspector Matty Spiers said:
“This was a wholly avoidable incident that left a man with life-threatening injuries, and it happened because a basic, well-understood safety control was allowed to fail.
“Interlocking guards exist for one reason: to stop people reaching dangerous machinery while it’s still live. When that gate was damaged, it should have been repaired properly and its integrity restored immediately, not left in a state where a determined employee could simply lift out a panel and walk into a hazardous area.
“Curtis New is fortunate to be alive. He suffered catastrophic injuries carrying out a task that should never have been possible without the machine being isolated first.
“Employers have a legal duty to make sure guarding and interlock systems are properly maintained, and that any weakness is identified and corrected without delay. This isn’t a bureaucratic box-ticking exercise, it’s what stands between a workforce and a serious, life-changing injury.”
Further information:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in Scotland can be found here.
Manufacturing company fined after worker fractures twelve ribs in pillar drill incident
36-year-old worker seriously injured by falling pillar drill weighing 500kg
Health and Safety Executive inspectors found lifting operation involving a forklift was not properly planned or risk-assessed
Redditch-based firm handed £40,000 fine following HSE prosecution
A spring and stampings manufacturing company has been fined £40,000 after an employee fractured twelve ribs during a lifting operation in Worcestershire.
The 36-year-old employee suffered multiple rib fractures while working at The Micro Spring and Presswork Company Limited when the incident occurred on 24 June 2024.
He had been assisting with the lifting of a newly purchased pillar drill using a forklift truck at the company’s site on Enfield Industrial Estate, Redditch.
The pillar drill, which weighed approximately 500kg, became unstable during the operation and fell, striking the employee and causing serious injuries.
Pillar drill
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Micro Spring and Presswork Company Limited had failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks associated with the lifting operation.
The investigation also found that the company had failed to ensure the lifting operation was properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
HSE has produced an approved code of practice and guidance for employers, duty holders and anyone with responsibility for controlling lifting equipment.
Micro Spring and Presswork Company Limited, of Enfield Industrial Estate, Redditch, Worcestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £5032 in costs at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on 25 August 2026.
HSE inspector Charlie Rowe said:
“This was a serious incident which has resulted in significant injury and was entirely preventable.
“Employers should always ensure lifting operations are properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a safe manner. This firm’s failure to do so has had dramatic consequences.
“HSE has produced a wealth of guidance to assist employers in keeping people safe, but where companies fall short we will not hesitate to take action.”
The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Julian White and supported by paralegal officer Farhat Basir.
Six-figure fine for ExxonMobil after five leaks of extremely flammable hydrocarbons at Fife chemical plant
Five leaks of extremely flammable hydrocarbons occurred at Fife Ethylene Plant between February 2018 and September 2019 – including one which lasted four months
The leaks were discovered after Health & Safety Executive inspectors detected strong smell of flammable gas on a routine inspection – all five leaks were attributed to Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive concluded that the company did not have adequate arrangements for inspection of insulated pipework.
ExxonMobil Chemical Limited has been fined £267,000 after health and safety inspectors found corroded pipes had resulted in five leaks of flammable gas at its Fife Ethylene Plant.
An investigation by Health & Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors found the company’s arrangements for inspection of insulated pipework were not adequate and resulted in five known leaks of extremely flammable hydrocarbons at the natural gas processing plant operated by the company at Mossmorran, near Kirkcaldy.
The plant was an Upper Tier COMAH [Control of Major Accident Hazards] establishment as defined by the 2015 COMAH Regulations, due to the volume of hazardous substances on site and the risk to people and the environment they presented. This means it was subject to the strictest controls because of the potential for catastrophic consequences of health and safety failings.
How the leaks were discovered
On 21 May 2019, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors visited the site for a routine inspection. They noticed a strong smell of Dimethyl Sulphide (DMS), a highly flammable liquid that irritates eyes and skin and is harmful if swallowed. An operator confirmed that DMS and ethane were leaking from an overhead pipe, and that the company had known about the leak for around four months but had kept operating without taking extra precautions.
Two holes can be seen in the affected part of the pipe
HSE launched an investigation. This revealed that the leak was not a one-off. There had been an earlier leak on the same pipe in February 2018, and another on a different pipe elsewhere on site in December 2018, both caused by Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI). As the investigation progressed, two more leaks were discovered, meaning five leaks in total, all caused by CUI. The investigation broadened to examine how the company managed CUI risk across the site.
The five leaks
23 February 2018: A pinhole leak of DMS and ethane developed on a 2-inch steel pipe (the “DMS line”), which was under high pressure and running at 115 degrees Celsius. The leak went on for around four months before being fixed.
15 December 2018: A leak of ethane gas was spotted by chance on a different pipe (the “ST01 Overheads line”) when a worker noticed a haze coming through the insulation while doing unrelated work. Corroded cladding had let four small holes form. The leak lasted around six weeks and an estimated 82 tonnes of hydrocarbons escaped into the atmosphere.
21 May 2019: The leak that triggered HSE’s routine inspection was found on the same DMS line as before, but at a different point. This time the leak was a mix of 20% DMS and 80% ethane. The company had first detected it on 29 January 2019, meaning it had been leaking for about four and a half months. HSE issued a Prohibition Notice on 24 May 2019 banning access to the area, followed by an Improvement Notice on 28 May 2019 ordering repairs. The company fixed the problem on 13 June 2019 by installing a bypass.
26 June 2019: While HSE’s investigation was still underway, a process technician found another pinhole leak, this time on the inlet line to the acetylene converter. X-ray testing showed the pipe had corroded below its safe minimum thickness. The company shut down part of the plant to make repairs, and the leak lasted around two weeks. Unlike the earlier leaks, this time the company acted swiftly rather than continuing to operate without extra safeguards.
A straight ruler can be seen placed against the pipe, demonstrating extensive corrosion around the area of the leak
September 2019: While carrying out inspections required by HSE’s Improvement Notice, the company found a further pinhole leak on the ST01 Overheads line, close to the site of the December 2018 leak. This was repaired by purging the line and applying an epoxy wrap.
Why this matters
Every leak released highly flammable hydrocarbons into the atmosphere. In all but one case, this happened while the plant was operating normally, with staff and contractors working on site.
Pipes on sites like this are often insulated to stop them freezing. Corrosion Under Insulation happens when water gets in under that insulation and corrodes the pipe underneath. Left unchecked, it weakens pipes until they fail and leak. The industry accepts that CUI can’t be prevented entirely where insulation is needed, but it must be properly monitored and managed to keep the risk under control.
HSE’s investigation found the company’s inspection system was not fit for purpose. Inspectors carried out visual “scoping” checks on each pipe, and the results were fed into a computer tool alongside data on the pipe and its operating conditions. This produced a risk score from 1 (high risk) to 4 (low risk), and the company would only investigate further if a pipe scored 1 or 2.
In practice, these visual inspections were often inadequate. Overhead pipes were typically checked from ground level, sometimes several metres away, with limited visibility, and insulation was not always removed to allow a proper look underneath. Despite suffering repeated leaks caused by CUI, the company did not recognise that its inspection process was flawed until HSE took enforcement action.
The company required to shut part of the plant down in order to effect a repair after a pinhole leak was identified on a one-inch small bore connection
Exxonmobil Chemical Limited, of Fawley Administration Building, Fawley Refinery, Marsh Lane, Southampton, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(2) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, and section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £267,000 at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on 25 August 2026.
HSE inspector Lindsey Stein said:
“At a site run by one of the biggest energy companies in the world, subject to the strictest controls, and processing high volumes of hazardous material, what our inspectors found beggars belief.
“The failure of ExxonMobil to properly inspect insulated pipework led to five separate leaks of highly flammable hydrocarbons, and while none of these leaks resulted in a catastrophic event, this was down to good fortune rather than good management. The arrangements in place to detect and prevent corrosion were woefully inadequate, and the consequences could have been far more serious.
“Systematic risk management isn’t just best practice, it’s a legal duty, precisely because these are high-hazard operations where the margin for error is minimal. In its simplest terms, process safety is about keeping hazardous substances where they belong: inside the pipes, not in the atmosphere.
“Once we stepped in, the operator was able to identify and fix problems quickly and effectively. That tells you everything you need to know: the measures needed to prevent these leaks were reasonably practicable all along, and they should have been in place long before HSE was forced to intervene.”
Further information:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in Scotland can be found here.
Cornwall sawmill and company director fined after failing to act on health and safety notices
Health and Safety Executive inspectors issued Truro Sawmills Ltd with Improvement Notices after finding it failed to protect workers from health risks of wood dust and safety risks from lift trucks.
Inspectors found employees were not trained to use rider-operated lift trucks, and protective equipment wasn’t properly fitted, and employees weren’t screened for health risks from wood dust.
Despite several notices the company failed to act – and HSE brought a prosecution brought a prosecution
HSE applied for the Managing Director to be disqualified as a company director following the case.
A Cornwall-based timber company and its director have been handed a £20,000 fine after failing to comply with a series of enforcement notices issued by health and safety inspectors.
Truro Sawmills Limited and its Managing Director, Alistair Wright, have been fined after failing to comply with improvement notices served by the HSE.
Truro Sawmills Limited supplies timber and manufactures gates, fencing panels and garden furniture, processed at its sawmill in Penhallow, Truro. The company was served with Improvement Notices after HSE inspectors found that employees were not being protected from the ill health risks arising from wood dust, nor the safety risks associated with the use of rider-operated lift trucks in the workplace. If not properly controlled, wood dust can cause asthma, respiratory conditions and cancer.
The HSE investigation found that employees had not been appropriately trained to use rider-operated lift trucks. Staff had also not been face fit tested for respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect them from wood dust and were not under suitable health surveillance.
An investigation by the HSE determined that Truro Sawmills Limited had failed to comply with its legal duty under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and had contravened the requirements of three Improvement Notices served by HSE to protect its workers.
Alistair Wright, the company’s Managing Director, also pleaded guilty to contravening the requirements of an Improvement Notice. HSE applied for Mr Wright to be disqualified from acting as a company director under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
Relevant guidance on the use of rider-operated lift trucks and the control of wood dust can be found here:
Truro Sawmills Limited, of Penhallow, Truro, TR4 9NF, pleaded guilty to four counts, including breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and contravening the requirements imposed by three Improvement Notices, contrary to Section 33(1)(g) of the Act.
Alistair Wright, Managing Director of Truro Sawmills Limited, pleaded guilty to one count of contravening a requirement imposed by an Improvement Notice, contrary to Section 33(1)(g) and Section 37(1) of the Act.
The company was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. Mr Wright was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs, at a hearing at Truro Crown Court on 20 August 2026. The court granted HSE’s application to disqualify Mr Wright from acting as a company director for a period of five years.
HSE principal inspector Melissa Lai-Hung said:
“Exposure to wood dust can cause asthma, respiratory conditions and cancer – yet this firm failed to act on legally-binding notices served by health and safety inspectors to protect their workforce.
“We also found workers hadn’t been properly trained to use lift trucks, creating very real dangers for those onsite.
“Firms should be left in no doubt that companies and individuals who do not comply with health and safety legislation will be held accountable.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Robert James and paralegal officer Mike Millman.
Further information:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.
Surgeons spend six hours saving worker’s arm after it was severed below elbow in machinery incident
Company fined £300,000 after health and safety inspectors find failings when investigating incident
Nightshift worker had been attempting to unblock machine when his arm was severed below elbow
Victim had three major surgeries to restore the use of his hand but still suffers constant pain
A clinical waste disposal company has been fined £300,000 after one of its workers severed his arm from the elbow down while unblocking machinery in Swindon.
The man – who was 42 at the time – had been working his usual night shift at Tradebe Healthcare National Limited’s site on Elgin Industrial Estate on 4 February 2022. He had been working alongside a colleague when he attempted to clear an obstruction on an autoclave machine. His left arm was trapped and crushed by the door – severing it from the elbow down.
The man had been unblocking this machine when the incident happened
He was rushed to hospital where doctors spent six hours saving his arm. He has since had three major surgeries to restore the use of his hand, though he now suffers from very limited movement.
Part of his treatment has involved skin grafts taken from the thigh of his left leg as well as veins from his left and right legs transplanted into the arm. He still suffers from constant pain and struggles to complete many everyday tasks independently.
Autoclave machines are pressure vessels with lids or doors and are used in a variety of processes whereby products are placed inside and subjected to greater than atmospheric pressure and elevated temperatures. A rotoclave is a type of autoclave that rotates during operation. On this particular site, it was used for high temperature sterilisation of waste.
HSE’s investigation found multiple failings by the company including exposing workers to risk
The machine was surrounded by an enclosure which included an access gate at its rear. The man had used this unsecured rear gate to walk into the enclosure to reach in to remove the debris. His colleague was unable to see the employee and due to miscommunication, mistakenly resumed operation of the machine.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed multiple failings by the company, including:
Not having sufficient measures in place to prevent their employees from being at risk when clearing blockages.
Employees being exposed to risk, specifically in relation to the failure to properly isolate the machine before cleaning.
Employees not being provided with sufficient information and instruction about how to use and how to clean the machine safely.
The investigation also found that training provided to employees was inadequate and that employees were not suitably supervised.
HSE guidance highlights the importance of following safe isolation and lock-off procedures before any maintenance or cleaning work is carried out. Employers must ensure all machinery is properly isolated from power sources, and that systems are regularly monitored and reviewed to prevent inadvertent start-up. Further guidance is available here: The safe isolation of plant and equipment – HSE.
Tradebe Healthcare National Limited of Atlas House Third Avenue, Globe Park, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay costs of £18,710.
HSE inspector Emma Preston said:
“This was a harrowing incident made more tragic by the fact that events of this kind are all-too foreseeable.
“Accidents which happen when cleaning and maintaining machinery often result in life-changing injuries, which is why companies need to make sure they have robust lock-off procedures, effective guarding, and that all sources of power are fully isolated before work begins.
“The man affected by this incident faces a long road to recovery and we hope today’s outcome provides him a measure of justice.”
This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Chloe Ward and supported by paralegal officer Farhat Basir.
Further information:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.
