Fines for company and director after man injured during excavation work
A company and its director have been fined a combined £18,000 after a man was injured during excavation work in West Sussex. JHE Construction and Jordan Hay-Ellis pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws following the incident on 23 February 2023. The company had been contracted to complete a full barn conversion, which included […]
Wales: New partner joins HSE campaign to tackle stress in workplaces across Wales
The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) campaign aimed at preventing or combatting stress in the workplace has welcomed a new partner ahead of stress awareness month in April. Healthy Working Wales has become the 36th organisation to join Working Minds as part of its mission to improve the health of employees across Wales. In 2023/24, […]
Fines for company and operations manager after death from 20-foot fall
Man fell through fragile roof in Dudley. Company, now in liquidation, does not escape criminal sanction Detailed guidance on both working on fragile surfaces and working at height is available from HSE. A company and its operations manager have both been fined after a man fell to his death through a roof at its site […]
Council fined following carbon monoxide leak at primary school
A Scottish local authority has been fined more than £13,000 after a carbon monoxide leak at a primary school in Bishopbriggs. East Dunbartonshire Council pleaded guilty following the incident at Balmuildy Primary School in February 2020. A number of staff and pupils attending the school on 19 February 2020 reported feeling ill, experiencing symptoms such […]
Property developer fined for multiple construction site failures
A London property developer has been fined £63,000 plus costs after Britain’s workplace regulator found multiple failures at a construction site in Dalston. Nofax Enterprises Limited was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following four visits to its site on Dalston Lane over a 13 month period between 2020 and 2021. The company […]
Manufacturing firms reminded of their asbestos duties
Britain’s workplace regulator is reminding manufacturing firms of their asbestos duties. As we approach Global Asbestos Awareness Week (April 1 – 7), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding those running businesses occupying buildings built before 2000 to properly assess, manage and monitor asbestos risks in line with the law. Older manufacturing facilities may […]
Hydraulics company fined after worker’s legs trapped in machine
A hydraulics company, with locations throughout the UK, has been fined after an employee became trapped in a machine that he was working on at a customer’s premises in Plymouth. David Lawrence, a 63-year-old engineer, was undertaking fault finding on a laser cutting machine for Pearson Hydraulics Ltd, on 26 July 2023, when the cutting […]
Bradford builder sentenced after fatal fall of asylum seeker
A self-employed builder has been handed a suspended prison sentence following the death of an asylum seeker who fell from scaffolding at a domestic property in Bradford. Sarabjit Singh, 44, was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work. Mr Eraj Rahanpour, a 29-year-old originally […]
Animal feed manufacturer fined after employee’s arm severed
An East Yorkshire company has been fined more than half a million pounds after an employee’s lower arm was severed when it became entangled in a conveyor. Bartosz Gaj, a blender operative, had been attempting to clear a blockage at AB Agri Limited’s premises in Fridaythorpe, Driffield on 3 November 2021. Mr Gaj’s hand was […]
Manufacturing firm fined after worker sustains serious burns
A North-East manufacturing company has been fined more than £200,000 after a worker sustained serious burns to his hands. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited Novares Peterlee Limited on 30 March 2022. During the visit to the site on Northwest Industrial Estate, inspectors found unsafe working practices, including workers operating machinery at […]
Manufacturing company fined £15,000 for wood dust failures
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 […]
Company director avoids prison over wood dust failures
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, […]
Company fined after 21-year-old worker dies
A company in Peterborough has been fined £67,000 after a young employee lost his life. George Setchfield was found unconscious over the side of a large container while working for Electrostatic Magic Limited at the firm’s site in Peterborough. George’s mum says his passing has affected “every aspect” of her life. The 21-year-old had entered […]
NHS trust fined after employee found unconscious in manhole
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been fined £480,000 after an employee suffered a brain injury after he was found unconscious in a manhole. The man had been unblocking a drain at the hospital on 1 February 2022 when he was discovered by other members of staff. He was rescued from the manhole by […]
Arriva and cleaning firm fined after worker killed at bus depot
A national bus company and a commercial cleaning firm have been fined after a “much loved young man” was killed at a depot in Hemel Hempstead. Albin Trstena, from Tottenham, was working for Cordant Cleaning Limited, when he was hit by a reversing bus being driven by a colleague on 5 November 2019. The 25-year-old […]
Monthly roundup – December 2023
The final month of the year has seen the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conclude complex prosecutions against two care settings. December also saw cases relating to two frightening offshore incidents that resulted in fines totalling more than £1million. Another prosecution came about after a member of the public captured shocking footage on their mobile […]
Company and director sentenced after worker fractures arm and leg
A company and its director have been sentenced after an employee fell from height and suffered serious injuries. Andrew Smith fractured his left femur, left elbow, left arm and pelvis after falling approximately three metres off a ladder on 28 July 2021. He had been working for Profascias Ltd at Park Lane Primary School in […]
North Wales health board fined after failings resulted in woman’s death
One of the largest health boards in Wales has been fined £200,000 after a patient died in its care. Llandudno Magistrates’ Court heard that 46-year-old Dawn Owen was found unconscious at the Hergest Unit – a secure mental health unit – at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor on 20 April 2021. Dawn’s family have called on […]
Roofing firm and company business partner sentenced following HSE investigations
Company fined for failings in two separate incidents. Two workers seriously injured after falling through roofs in separate incidents. Business partner at scaffolding firm sentenced following incident in Swansea. A roofing company has been fined a total of £881,000 after two workers were seriously injured during two separate incidents. Billy Hewitt, a worker at Mitie […]
Company fined as stunt performer sustains life-changing injuries during filming of Fast and Furious movie
A production company has been fined after a stunt performer was injured during the filming of Fast and Furious 9: The Fast Saga. Joe Watts, from Surrey, sustained life-changing injuries after he fell approximately 25 feet at Warner Bros. studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire on 22 July 2019. He had been filming a fight scene for […]