Two companies have been fined more than £100,000 after a man fell 30 feet through a fragile skylight as he was working on a roof.

Nicolas Vilela suffered multiple injuries in the incident at Graystone Action Sports Centre, on Brunel Avenue in Salford on 23 November 2022.

Now 43, Mr Vilela had been fixing a solar panel into position on the roof when he took a step back and fell through one of the skylights to the skate park below, narrowly missing several people. His horrific injuries included a partial lung collapse, broken ribs, pelvis, femur and left wrist as well as fractures to lower vertebrae. He spent a month in hospital.

Falls from height remain a leading cause of workplace death and HSE has published guidance about how these incidents can be avoided.

Speaking as the companies were fined, Mr Vilela said the incident had affected him both physically and emotionally.

He said: “It has had an overwhelming and complicated impact on my life, having, until then, been a very active, dynamic person”

“A fall from a height of 10 metres is not something you survive.

“I broke my femur, pelvis, wrist, vertebrae and ribs. A lot worse could have happened but I am grateful for the fact that I am alive and can walk, but I will live with this trauma for the rest of my life.

“I have developed a fear of heights and a fear of any physical activity that could cause me harm. I am also really worried about how my body will respond in old age as a result of these injuries.

“I am unable to walk for more than a kilometre without feeling pain and getting very tired due to the loss of strength and mobility in my leg. My pelvic fracture impedes me from doing any heavy lifting and I live in fear of damaging it even more.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that H2O Renewables Limited (H2O) were the principal contractor engaged for work to install solar panels to the roof of the indoor skate park and had engaged Green Projects Ltd (GPL) as sub-contractor to fit the roof mounted system. H2O planned the work during which time they were aware of multiple fragile rooflights in close proximity to where the solar panels would be fitted.

The risk assessment produced by H2O stated cones and warning tape would be used as a control measure to warn operatives of the risk of falling through the fragile roof lights, and fixed scaffolding would be used to prevent risk of falls from the perimeter of the roof. By the time the work started on 22 November 2022, the fixed scaffold had only partially been erected, and only the cones had been placed next to the skylights.

Despite the insufficient control measures being present to mitigate the risks from work at height, GPL’s operatives were allowed to start work to fit the solar panels.

The investigation also found that H2O Renewables Limited and Green Projects Ltd, had failed to take suitable and sufficient precautions to ensure the safety of workers on the roof. Both companies had also failed to put in place a safe system of work for the installation of solar panels that were to be fitted in close proximity to many of the fragile roof lights present.

H2O Renewables Limited of Hazel Grove, Stockport, pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. They were fined £106,720 and ordered to pay £4,995 costs at a hearing at Manchester Magistrates Court on 20 November 2024.

At the same hearing, Green Projects Ltd of Albert Street, Oldham, pleaded guilty to breaching regulations 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. They were fined £13,340 and ordered to pay £1,600 costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Phil Redman said: “This was a very serious incident that Mr Vilela was extremely lucky to survive.

“A fall from this distance frequently results in life-changing injuries or death.

“It is a timely reminder that all work at height activities must be suitably planned, managed and monitored using a safe system of work.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Kate Harney and paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. 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 England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
5. Guidance on working safely at height is available.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today (Wednesday 20 November) published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries.

The statistics reveal that the number of workers reported to be suffering from work-related ill health during 2023/24 is 1.7 million – which is similar to 2022/23 (1.8 million workers).

The rate of self-reported work-related ill health remains broadly similar to the previous year, although the current rate is still higher than the 2018/19 pre-pandemic level.

Approximately half of those reporting ill-health relate to stress, depression or anxiety, with an estimated 776,000 cases in 2023/24. The current rate of self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety is higher than the pre-pandemic level but has decreased from 910,000 in 2022/23.

An estimated 33.7 million working days were lost in 2023/24 due to self-reported work-related ill health or injury.

HSE’s chief executive Sarah Albon said: “This year marks 50 years since the legislation which established HSE was passed. Much has been achieved in that time, including a dramatic reduction of around 85 per cent in the numbers of employee fatal injuries in the workplace.

“Today, Great Britain is one of the safest places in the world to work but these statistics serve as a reminder that there is still room for further improvement, and we remain committed to ensuring people remain safe and healthy wherever work is taking place.”

HSE’s statistics also reveal the impact work-related ill health and workplace injuries are having on Britain’s economic performance.

In 2022/23, the estimated annual costs of workplace injury and new cases of work-related ill health reached £21.6 billion, which is £1.6 billion less compared with 2021/22.

The figures also show that 138 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2023/24, while 604,000 workers sustained a self-reported non-fatal injury in the workplace during the same period.

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. Details on HSE’s work-related mental health campaign, Working Minds, can be found here Working Minds – Work Right to keep Britain safe
3. Details on HSE’s new 10-year strategy can be found here HSE strategy 2022 to 2032 – About us – HSE.
4. HSE’s annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries for 2023/24 can be found here – Health and safety statistics – HSE

A wood panel manufacturer has been fined £400,000 after a worker suffered life-changing injuries at its factory in Chirk, near Wrexham.

The incident happened at Kronospan Limited on 31 March 2021, when a pack of waste MDF sheets weighing around 350kg fell from a trailer and landed on the left leg of Mark Hughes from Johnstown.

The injuries sustained by Mr Hughes, now 53, were so serious they resulted in him having his left leg amputated below his knee. The loss of his leg has been life-changing and he has since had to move to an accessible house. He is no longer able to carry on with his hobbies and struggles to climb stairs.

“My injury has changed everything in my life, it is like somebody dropped a bomb on our life and never picked up the pieces,” he said.

“Everything now just takes a lot of planning to do and spontaneous trips do not happen anymore.

“I won’t go anywhere that has a lot of steps.”

After more than two years off work, Mr Hughes has been able to return to the company, but only in a part-time capacity.

“Some days I feel okay but some days after work I feel absolutely knackered.

“I’ve worked for Kronospan for 27 years and I feel since my accident it would be difficult to find a job somewhere else and start over,” he added.

“A lot of my social connection was from work because I used to work a lot of hours.

“I have a quality of life but it is a lot different than what it used to be.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that a colleague of Mr Hughes had loaded a flatbed trailer with waste MDF sheets for him to transport across the site to be destroyed. When he began to take off the straps holding the sheets in place, a pack fell off the trailer and landed on top of him. The road across the site was poorly maintained and had lots of potholes.

The investigation also found that there was no suitable risk assessment or system of work in place specifically relating to the risks associated with the stacking, movement and loading of waste MDF sheets.

Kronospan Limited of Chirk, Wrexham pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. They were fined £400,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,701 at Wrexham Magistrates Court on 19 November 2024.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Marie Wheeler said: “A man has suffered truly life-changing injuries as a result of this company’s failures.

“The incident was completely preventable had a proper risk assessment been carried out.

“Nor did the company have a suitable safe system of work in place.

“HSE will always take action when basic failures like these result in very serious injury.”

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. 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 England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.

Cheshire East Council (the council) has been fined £500,000 after ‘the most amazing man’ was killed by a falling tree.

Christopher Hall, 48, from Wilmslow, was walking his dog in The Carrs – one of the town’s parks – on 28 August 2020, when the large limb of a tree fell and struck him. He received multiple injuries and sadly died at the scene.

Less than a year before, another large limb from the same tree had fallen off but the incident was never investigated by the council or its ground maintenance company Ansa Environmental Services Limited. As the District Judge sentenced both at Chester Magistrates Court on 8 November 2024 he said that the previous incident should have “acted as a wake-up call”.

In a victim personal statement, Chris’s wife Fiona said her husband “loved life and life loved him”.

“Seeing his face, you will get a sense of who Chris was, what he meant to those around him and what we have lost,” she said.

“His image serves not only as a tribute to the most amazing man but also a focal point and brutal reminder of why seeking justice matters so very deeply.

“Chris loved life and life loved him.

“His death was utterly senseless and wholly avoidable.

“He was simply walking our dog on a dry, warm, summer’s day.

“His loss is colossal, his absence is immense and he leaves a void that can never be filled.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that when same tree had shed another large limb in September 2019, no investigation was carried out by those responsible to assess whether the tree posed a future safety risk. The council, who controlled the park, did not have a formal overarching tree strategy to manage the risks from trees in public places, and their grounds services contractor, Ansa Environmental Services Limited, had no robust tree management policy.

Organisations who are responsible for trees in areas regularly used by members of the public often adopt a concept called “zoning”, where trees are prioritised for proactive checks based on frequency of public access. HSE guidance is available here.

In his own statement, Chris’s son Sam spoke about the impact his dad’s death has had on his life.

“For the past four years, it’s felt like a long, painful trail – a path we never wanted to be on,” he said.

“Losing dad was losing my life and strength. I miss every little piece of him – his laughter, wisdom, and adventures we shared.

“Our travels ignited a passion in me, but now every journey feels bittersweet without him.

“I’ve taken up diving, which was one of his dreams for us. Being underwater helps me connect with him.”

Cheshire East Council pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £7,284 costs at a hearing at Chester Magistrates Court on 8 November 2024.

There was no separate penalty for Ansa Environmental Services Limited of Middlewich, Cheshire, who also pleaded guilty to breaching 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They were ordered to pay a nominal fine of £5. In passing his sentence, the District Judge said it would have been disproportionate to impose fines on both.

HSE inspector Lorna Sherlock said: “This was an utterly tragic event that has caused the death of a much-loved husband and father.

“Had this public area been better managed, this death might have been avoided. No lessons were learned from the limb falling off the tree less than a year before.

“Cheshire East Council had not adopted a formal overarching tree strategy to manage the risks from trees in public places since it was formed in 2009.

“There was no overarching, consistent risk identification process leading to zoning of trees in all frequently accessed public areas.

“Fiona and the family have shown great courage and fortitude throughout their ordeal.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. 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 England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
5. Guidance on managing the risk posed by trees is available.

A Manchester-based engineering company has been fined £500,000 after a young apprentice lost the use of two fingers when using a horizontal bandsaw.

The apprentice, who was just 18 at the time, suffered the serious injuries to his fingers in an incident at Proline Engineering Limited in Worsely, on 7 November 2022. While one finger was severed completely, the other was surgically re-attached. However, the now 20-year-old has been left with very little movement and nerve damage in that finger. He had only been on a placement with the firm in order to gain experience in fabrication and engineering and was just over a month into this placement when the incident occurred.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that he was being taught how to weld as part of his apprenticeship placement. This process required multiple sections of steel to be available to practice welding on. After a brief period of verbal training he was permitted to cut lengths of steel into these sections using a horizontal bandsaw, which was located in a shipping container some distance away from the main workshop.

HSE inspector Tracy Fox said: “This young man was at the very start of his career.

“As a result of this companies failures, he sustained serious and irreversible injuries that have been truly life changing. Those injuries have impacted on many aspects of his life and resulted in him having to undergo numerous operations and procedures.

“Once a keen mountain biker and member of his local gym, his hand grip is such that he can no longer take part in those activities that he used to love.”

On the day the incident happened, he had been working unsupervised when he noticed the bandsaw was not completing a full cut due to a build-up of metal debris underneath the sawblade. As he attempted to clear away the debris, his fingers came in contact with the moving sawblade, instantly severing one finger and severely damaging another. He was taken to hospital where he remained for six days.

The investigation also found that Proline Engineering Limited had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, resulting in a failure to provide suitable guarding arrangements on the bandsaw and had failed to put in place an adequate safe system of work. It also revealed inconsistencies and inadequacies in the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision for those required to use the bandsaw.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Manchester Magistrates’ Court. They were fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £5,317 costs at a hearing at on 6 November 2024.

HSE inspector Tracy Fox went on to say: “Had even the most basic safeguards been put in place this incident would have been avoided.

“The risks arising from operating machines such as bandsaws are well known. HSE has clear guidance on the provision and use of work equipment that can help in preventing incidents like this from happening.

“We would like highlight that all employers should make sure they properly assess their workplace for these risks and act to ensure that effective measures are in place to minimise the risks associated with operating machinery.

“It is crucial that as part of this assessment employers consider and manage any increased risks that may be associated with inexperienced employees.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Gemma Zakrzewski and supported by HSE paralegal officer Sarah Thomas.

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. 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 England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
5. Guidance on working safely with machinery is available.

A father-of-three was left paralysed from the chest down after falling through a ceiling at a house renovation in Derbyshire.

Chesterfield builder Andrew Clifford remained lying face down on the floor for around six hours before he was found by a delivery driver. He judged the time by hearing hourly news bulletins from his radio.

Andrew had been working alone installing first-floor joists during the construction of a house on Main Road in Dronfield. The 51-year-old was carrying out the work on behalf of Paul Freeman Limited – a Mansfield-based company he had worked with for around 20 years.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted the company for failing to properly plan work at height.

On the morning of 31 October 2022 Mr Clifford slipped and fell from the first floor to the ground below and was left unable to move.

He spent nearly five months in hospital, with the injuries to his spinal cord so serious they left him paralysed from the chest down, with only limited movement in his hands and arms.

Speaking about the day that changed his and his family’s lives forever, Mr Clifford said: “The first thing I recall after my fall was landing on my head.

“From that point it was a very strange feeling as from when I landed, I felt no pain and I couldn’t understand why or that I couldn’t get up.

“My radio was on and I judged the time by the news. After an hour, I tried to move again and this carried on for around three hours. Eventually, I realised this was serious and I thought I’d better stay still as I didn’t want to cause further injuries.

“This wasn’t the type of street where people were walking past and as it started to get dark I was getting really worried.

“When I was found by the delivery driver I heard him shout out, ‘hello, hello, hello’.

“I think I fell between 9am and 9.30 and wasn’t found until 3pm.”

He went on to say how being a builder was a job he loved and described the impact the incident has had on his everyday life.

“I can’t do anything I used to love doing before,” he said.

“Simple things like doing the gardening, washing the car and jobs around the house.

“I can’t even wash or dress myself now.

“I haven’t been upstairs in my house since the accident – my wife and three daughters all sleep upstairs and I sleep alone downstairs.

“Another thing that really upsets me is the thought of not being able to walk my daughters down the aisle when they get married.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Paul Freeman Limited failed to ensure that work at height had been properly planned and, as such, no measures had been implemented to prevent falls during the construction of the first floor. Mr Clifford had not been provided with suitable instruction as to how the work should be carried out and was therefore left to work this out on his own.

Working at height remains one of the leading causes of death in the construction industry and HSE has detailed published guidance on minimising the risks associated with it.

Paul Freeman Ltd of Synergy House,  Acorn Business Park, Commercial Gate, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Derby Magistrates’ Court on 4 November 2024. They were fined £40,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,263.

HSE inspector Sara Andrews said: “My thoughts remain with Andrew and his family, whose lives have changed dramatically as a result of this preventable incident.

“This case highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough assessment of the risks for all work at height activities and the need to ensure that, where work at height cannot be avoided, suitable control measures are implemented to minimise the risk of serious injury.

“This is even more significant when lone working.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Neenu Bains and paralegal officer Rebecca Forman.

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. 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 England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.

A man from Blackpool has been spared an immediate spell behind bars after his unsafe gas work put people’s lives at risk.

Mehmet Kalyoncu, who pleaded guilty on the first day of a proposed trial, was given a 12-month custodial sentence suspended for the same period.

The 57-year-old, who was not Gas Safe Registered, installed various gas appliances and pipework at an address in the seaside town. It was only when concerns were raised about the work to the Gas Safe Register that investigators visited the property and found gas fittings had been left in an unsafe state.

When the matter was then referred to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for investigation, it became clear that Kalyoncu had previously been served with a prohibition notice to not undertake any further gas work unless he was Gas Safe registered.

Further information and guidance on domestic gas health and safety is available.

As part of its investigation, HSE found that despite the earlier prohibition notice, Kalyoncu continued to carry out unregistered and unsafe gas work, putting members of the public at considerable risk from unsafe gas fittings and appliances.

Mehmet Kalyoncu, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to breaching section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulations 3(3) and 6(2) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay costs of £600 at a trial at Preston Crown Court on 29 October 2024.

HSE principal inspector Caroline Shorrock said: “Mehmet Kalyoncu showed a complete disregard to the safety of the public.

“He carried out unsafe gas work that put people at risk.

“The fact he had already been served with a notice to not do this unless Gas Safe registered makes this case even worse.”

“All gas work must be done by registered Gas Safe Register engineers to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life.

“The public should always ask to see the gas engineer’s identification and check the registration number online.”

Gas engineers and consumers can contact the Gas Safe Register in any of these ways:

• Gas Safe Register
• Phone – Consumers: 0800 408 5500; Engineers: 0800 408 5577
• Email – enquiries@gassaferegister.co.uk

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and supported by HSE paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. 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 England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.

A company has been fined £80,000 after an employee sustained a fractured skull at its site in Glasgow.

In addition to a fractured skull, the worker sustained a broken clavicle, a ripped earlobe and haematomas down his right side, caused by being struck by a telehandler bucket while working at Grayshill Limited on 19 October 2022.

He had been removing cattle from the back of a lorry when the telehandler bucket became detached and struck him.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Grayshill Limited failed to implement a safe system of work for the use of quick hitches on the telehandler. A quick hitch is a latching device that enables, in this case, the bucket, to be connected to the arm of the telehandler and changed quickly. A manual quick hitch requires an operator to manually insert a metal pin from the latching device to secure the attachment.

On the morning of 19 October 2022, a self-employed agricultural engineer had serviced the telehandler, which included removing the bucket but the engineer did not correctly reattach it onto the telehandler after the service was complete. The investigation found that the securing pin for the quick hitch had not been reinserted.

HSE guidance can be found at: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)

HSE principal inspector Hazel Dobb said: “This was a serious incident that has resulted in a worker sustaining horrific injuries. We thoroughly investigated this incident and found Grayshill Limited failed to carry out the correct control measures and safe working practices at its site in Glasgow. The company also failed to check its vehicles after they had been serviced and repaired to ensure they were safe for use.”

Grayshill Limited, of Mollins Road, Cumbernauld, Glasgow, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1), Section 2(2)(a) and Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £6,000 at Airdrie Sheriff Court on 28 October 2024.

 

Notes to editors:

1. 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.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. 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.

A manufacturing company has been fined £15,000 after exposing its own workers to wood dust and failing to comply with two improvement notices.

Wood dust can cause serious and often irreversible health problems, including sino-nasal cancer, asthma and dermatitis. Employers have a legal responsibility to prevent or adequately control exposure in the workplace.

After concerns were raised to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), inspectors from the workplace regulator went to Billy Davidson NV Stables Limited’s premises in Wingate, Durham on 17 June 2022. As a result, notices were served on the firm requiring it to undertake an examination of the local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system fitted to a chop saw and for failing to control exposure to wood dust from the use of a circular table saw.

Proper dust extraction can include having the right machinery, and vacuuming dust instead of sweeping is often required. HSE’s easy-to-follow guidance can be found here.

Despite the action taken by HSE, when inspectors returned to the site on 12 January 2023, the circular saw was still being used, despite the company saying it had been taken out of use. Likewise, the chop saw and LEV was also still being used, and the company had not provided HSE with confirmation it had been examined and was adequately controlling wood dust exposure.

The subsequent HSE investigation found the company had shown a disregard for health and safety due to their failure to comply with the improvement notices.

A HSE campaign to protect workers from exposure to wood dust is ongoing.

Billy Davidson NV Stables Limited was found guilty of contravening two counts of Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulations 9(2) and 7(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £4,500 in costs at Peterlee Magistrates Court on 24 January 2024.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Clare Maltby said: “This company showed a blatant disregard to the safety of its own workers.

“Companies are responsible for controlling the exposure to wood dust, a substance which is hazardous to health and can cause long term health effects such as occupational asthma.

“Compliance could have been achieved by simply getting a LEV fitted to the circular table saw and getting a competent person to undertake a thorough examination and test of the LEV on the chop saw.

“This case demonstrates that we will not hesitate to prosecute companies who fail to comply with the law.”

 

 

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.

The director of a Norwich woodworking company has avoided an immediate spell behind bars after he exposed his employees to harmful wood dust.

Wood dust can cause serious and often irreversible health problems, including sino-nasal cancer, asthma and dermatitis. Employers have a legal responsibility to prevent or adequately control exposure in the workplace.

John Risby, the director of Turners and Moore Limited, was given a four month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, at Norwich Magistrates Court. The 33-year-old’s company was also fined £40,000.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an inspection at the firm’s Hurricane Way site on November 2017, which identified significant failings in its measures to control exposure of employees to wood dust. Enforcement action was taken, however a subsequent inspection in August 2022 showed the company had failed to maintain standards and further enforcement action was taken.

Dust extraction and vacuuming instead of sweeping can be some of the measures taken to control exposure to workers. Guidance on working in the woodworking industry is available and an inspection-led campaign to protect workers continues.

Turners and Moore Limited of Hurricane Way, Norwich was fined £40,000 after pleading guilty to breaches of Sections 2 (1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company must also pay £2,000 in costs. Director John Risby was given a four month custodial sentence, suspended for two years. He will also pay costs of £1,100 for breaching section 37 of the same Act.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Natalie Prince said: “This outcome should send a strong message out to anyone with a responsibility for protecting workers.

“Exposure to wood dust can cause serious ongoing health problems and businesses must do all that they can to protect their workers.

“This outcome should underline to those in the woodworking industry that the courts, and HSE, take a failure to protect the health of employees extremely seriously and will not hesitate to take action against companies that fail to do so.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Gemma Zakrzewski and paralegal officer Sarah Thomas.

 

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.