• Both incidents happened during ten-day period in August 2024.
• Two workers lost fingers in different pieces of machinery.
• One of them, a grandmother, had worked at the firm for 28 years.

A company in Leeds that produces plastic products has been fined after two of its workers lost fingers in machinery in separate incidents over the course of just ten days.

Commercial Lines Limited, trading as HLN Supplies, pleaded guilty to charges brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the two unrelated incidents in August 2024 – both caused by unsafe machinery.

The HSE investigation found the company hadn’t put adequate guards on machinery, meaning dangerous parts were easily accessible. The first incident happened on 12 August, when Angela Morrison, a then 61-year-old grandmother, was attempting to clear a blockage on a sanding machine. The plastics fabricator reached into a ventilation port, and her hand came in contact with a large metal rotating disk, resulting in severe damage to the fingers on her right hand.

Mrs Morrison, who has eight grandchildren, and had worked for the company for 28 years, described how she was initially in shock and could not feel any pain, but was operated on within an hour of being rushed into hospital. Doctors needed to remove  what was left of her middle finger, with another finger being seriously damaged – so much so, it will also now need to be amputated.

“They are also going to remove a portion of what is left of my middle finger to make it look better,” she explained.

“I am naturally right-handed so everything is now much more difficult. You don’t notice it until you go and do something and then you realise you can’t. Little things like opening the oven or getting out change in my purse.

“My grandchildren were a bit afraid and squeamish of my injuries at first but they soon got used to it. There are things I can’t do for them that I would like to, such as doing my granddaughter’s hair.

“When I think about the accident, I just keep thinking ‘if only it didn’t happen’ or if I’d done something differently. I just want to turn the clock back.

“I have been off work since, but my long-term hope is to get back to work, even if it’s an office job.”

Despite the wholly avoidable incident – it was only ten says later on 22 August, that another worker sustained serious injuries when his left hand came into contact with the blade of a table saw he was using to cut small strips of plastic. The 57-year-old lost part of the finger above the knuckle on his index finger and required surgery to remove the top of his middle finger several days later.

The HSE investigation found the company had failed to provide adequate guarding on the sanding machine, allowing dangerous parts to be easily accessible. Additionally, table saw training had been insufficient, and no safe work systems were in place when cutting small materials. The company also failed to have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place for the work being carried out.

Every year, there are a number of accidents from using work equipment, including machinery. Many are serious and some are fatal. HSE offers detailed guidance on work equipment and machinery – Work equipment and machinery – HSE.

Commercial Lines Limited (T/A HLN Supplies), of Upper Accommodation Road, Leeds, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and section 3(1) The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – They were fined £16,000 plus £6,534 in costs at Leeds Magistrates Court on 26 March 2026.

HSE Inspector Gavin Carruthers said:

“For this company to have not one but two completely avoidable incidents in such a short time shows systemic health and safety failings.

“Both workers have been left with injuries that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. The fact one of those hurt was a much-love grandmother who had worked at the company for nearly three decades makes these failings all the more stark.

“If proper guarding, training, and safe systems of work had been in place than these two workers would not have sustained such life-changing injuries.

“HSE will take action when companies fail in their duties to keep workers safe.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Arfaq Nabi and paralegal officer Zara Salman

Further information:

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. Relevant guidance can be found here – Woodworking – HSE
5. 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.

• Worker sustained serious injuries when his foot was trapped in machinery.
• Company had failed to prevent access to dangerous parts.
• HSE guidance is available.

A Yorkshire animal feed manufacturer has been fined £500,000 after a worker lost part of his foot when it was entangled in machinery.

William Thompson (York) Limited pleaded guilty after failing to prevent access to a rotating auger – a tool consisting of a central shaft with a blade wrapped around it – which is designed to transport excess feed away from a press.

The 41-year-old had been working as a supervisor at the company’s Jubilee Mill site in York on 14 November 2023. At the time of the incident, the man had been trying to resolve a maintenance issue with the machinery. However, he was able to open the press while its parts remained in operation at significant speed. His foot became entangled in the rotating auger and he sustained injuries so serious he remained in hospital for a period of six weeks.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that William Thompson (York) Limited failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machinery and also to carry out a suitable risk assessment of the work being done.

HSE guidance states employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. This will normally be by fixed guarding but where routine access is needed, interlocked guards may be needed to stop the movement of dangerous parts before a person can reach the danger zone. Further guidance can be found here: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) – HSE.

William Thompson (York) Limited, of Main Street, Malton, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974. The company was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £4,455 in costs at York Magistrates court on 18 November 2025.

HSE Inspector Shauna Halstead said: “This company’s failures resulted in a man sustaining life-changing injuries.

“Too many workers are injured or killed every year because of failures to guard dangerous parts of machinery.

“Companies must implement safe working practices when carrying out maintenance operations.

“We will not hesitate to take action against companies which do not do all they should to keep people safe when working with machinery.

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Arfaq Nabi and paralegal officer Sarah Thomas.

Further information:

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. Relevant guidance can be found here Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) – HSE
5. 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.

• Employee became trapped in unguarded machine and died at the scene.
• Company failed to carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
• Reflex Flexible Packaging Ltd fined £277,500.

A plastics conversion company based in Derbyshire has been fined £277,500 after an employee sustained fatal injuries when he became trapped in the moving parts of an unguarded machine.

Paul Whalley, 46, was employed by Reflex Flexible Packaging Ltd at their factory on Amber Drive, Langley Mill, when the incident occurred.

On 29 May 2020, Mr Whalley entered an opening in the side of a plastic conversion machine that permitted whole-body access to dangerous moving parts. The area contained several unguarded mechanisms, and Mr Whalley became trapped in the machine.

Despite efforts by the emergency services, including cutting conveyor belts and rollers to free him, he sadly died at the scene from crush asphyxia.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Reflex Flexible Packaging Ltd failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for operation of the machine.

The company had not installed appropriate guarding to prevent access to dangerous parts and had no written safe systems of work or isolation procedures in place.

HSE guidance states that employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

This typically involves fixed guarding, but where routine access is required, interlocked guards may be needed to stop movement before a person can reach the danger zone.

Further information is available in HSE’s Safe Use of Work Equipment – Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and its Approved Code of Practice: Safe use of work equipment (PUWER).

Reflex Flexible Packaging Ltd, of Hamilton Way, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The company was fined £277,500 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs at Derby Crown Court on 5 November 2025.

Following the hearing, HSE Inspector Lee Greatorex said:

“This tragic incident could have been easily prevented had a suitable and sufficient risk assessment taken place and the actions identified implemented. The accident is made worse by the fact that the company’s own internal health and safety department had identified a lack of risk assessments 18 months before the accident, but no follow-up action was taken to remedy this failing.

“This wholly avoidable incident was caused by the failure of Reflex Flexible Packaging Ltd to guard the dangerous parts of the machine Mr Whalley was operating. It was obvious that these moving parts were not guarded and presented a clear risk of injury. Had the company fitted suitable guarding, this fatality would not have occurred.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Edward Parton and Paralegal Officer Rebecca Withell.

Further information:

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 are available at press.hse.gov.uk.
4. Relevant guidance can be found here: Safe use of work equipment (PUWER).
5. 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.

• Supervisor turned machine on in devastating mix-up
• Employee suffered fractured shoulder, torn ligaments, and a broken finger
• HSE guidance highlights the importance of isolating machinery during cleaning

A North East waste and recycling company has been fined £270,000 after an employee was injured while cleaning a waste picking line.

On 24 March 2023, during cleaning of a waste picking line, an employee became trapped in a section of machinery when the line was accidentally switched on.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to ensure an isolation procedure was correctly implemented while employees were cleaning machinery at its site at Aycliffe Quarry, Aycliffe Village, County Durham.

The incident occurred when a senior supervisor, restarted the machinery after mistaking the worker in question for a colleague in similar clothing nearby.

The employee suffered a fractured shoulder, torn ligaments, and a broken finger.

This was not the first serious incident at the site. In December 2015, one worker was killed and another suffered life-changing injuries on a separate waste sorting line due to similar failures to follow proper isolation and lock-off procedures.

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

Stonegrave Aggregates Limited, part of the Ashcourt Group, of Halifax Way, Pocklington, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £270,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £15,637 at Teesside Crown Court.

Following the hearing, HSE inspector Darian Dundas said:

“Effective monitoring, auditing and review of isolation systems is essential to demonstrate that they are working and controlling risk. Incidents like this can and should be prevented by following robust lock-off procedures.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Karen Park, supported by Paralegal Officer Rebecca Foreman.

Further information:

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.
5. HSE guidance can be found here: The safe isolation of plant and equipment – HSE

• Grandfather Justin Day would have turned 50 this year
• Family says their world has been “shattered”
• HSE guidance on safe use of equipment is available

Tata Steel has been fined £1.5 million following the death of a contractor at its Port Talbot steelworks plant.

Justin Day’s family learnt of his death while they were waiting for him at his youngest son’s school rugby match.

The much-loved father-of-three and grandfather was working at the steel manufacturer’s site in South Wales when he was crushed to death by a piece of machinery on 25 September 2019.

Maintenance work to replace a lift cylinder on a large conveyor system had been completed earlier that day, and the system was in the process of being put back into service when a hydraulic leak was found. A radio call was sent out for Justin, 44, to resolve the issue at about 2pm.

Although power was isolated to part of the system, other sections remained live. As staff worked on the lower level to fix the leak, Justin returned to the floor above and climbed into the conveyor system. His presence triggered sensors that activated a moving beam in a live section, fatally injuring him. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

Tata Steel failed to ensure the conveyor system was properly isolated and guarded. The company did not take sufficient steps to manage the safety of the ongoing work.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated Justin’s death and brought a prosecution against Tata for what an inspector described as “basic” health and safety failures.

At the time Tata’s Port Talbot plant was the largest steelworks in the UK. Earlier this month, construction started on Tata’s electric arc furnace (EAF) at the same site.

Justin Day’s family had been waiting for him at the rugby field that afternoon, ready to watch his youngest son play in a school match. But instead, they received a devastating phone call telling them he had been involved in an accident. Just an hour later, they learned he had been killed.

Justin would have turned 50 this year. His wife Zoe Day said rugby was his passion, and that when his sons played, he was their “biggest fan”. She “never imagined” to be given the news of the incident while waiting for him to arrive pitch side.

“Since losing Justin I am not the same person I was,” she said. “I have struggled since that day – mentally, I am lost and don’t know where I’m going with life. It’s shattered my whole world.

“We were together for 23 years and did everything together. I can’t put into words how much this has affected me. I am a shadow of my former self and from the day of the incident, my world fell apart.”

The HSE investigation into the incident found Tata Steel failed to ensure the work to replace the lift cylinder was done safely. After the job was completed, the company also failed to properly isolate the conveyor system before Justin returned to address the leak.

Tata Steel also failed to ensure the conveyor system was effectively guarded to prevent access to dangerous moving parts of the machinery.

Tata Steel (UK) Ltd, of Grosvenor Place, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £1.5 million and ordered to pay £26,318.67 in costs at Swansea Crown Court on 31^st July 2025.

HSE inspector Gethyn Jones said: “Justin Day’s death could so easily have been prevented. A much-loved family man is not here because of failures in health and safety basics.

“Employers have a responsibility to make sure sufficient procedures are in place to protect workers – both employees and contractors – and that those procedures are understood and followed.

“The dangers of moving machinery are well known. Sufficient risk assessments must be carried out and access to dangerous areas must be properly guarded and controlled.

“This has been a long and thorough investigation, and we believe this is the right outcome. It is clear that Justin’s death has had a devastating impact on his family, his friends and the wider community. Our thoughts remain with them.”

HSE guidance on the safe use of work equipment is available on our website: Safe use of work equipment – HSE

This prosecution was brought by senior enforcement lawyer Jon Mack at HSE.

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.
5. Prosecution counsel, Nuhu Gobir, told the court that Tata Steel UK has 10 previous convictions for 17 health and safety offences.

A manufacturing company has been fined £20,000 after a worker lost part of his finger in machinery at its site in St Helens.

The man was injured at Film & Foil Solutions Ltd, which makes flexible film used in the food industry, on 4 December 2023.

He was using a machine that converts and folds plastic film at the company’s site on Haydock Industrial Estate. He tried to stop the material becoming tangled by using his hand to stop the poorly guarded rotating shaft. However, in doing so, his right index finger made contact with a rotating part of the machine and became entangled.

He was taken to hospital and due to the seriousness of the injuries, surgery was carried out the following day to amputate part of the finger on his dominant right hand. In a statement provided to HSE, the employee, who doesn’t wish to be named, described the impact of the injuries.

He said: “I was unable to carry out normal daily tasks such as tying my shoelaces.

“My right hand is my dominant hand and I find it extremely difficult to write with that hand now.

“I am now self-conscious when I go outside.

“My family have also been affected by the injury as I am unable to do normal things I used to be able to do before.

“As a result of the injury I feel my job prospects have been affected, both now and in the future.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Film & Foil Solutions Ltd failed to protect its employees, including ensuring the machinery being used to produce it had suitable guarding. The company had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, resulting in a failure to provide suitable guarding arrangements on the machine 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 and training for those required to use the machine.

HSE guidance states employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery or to stop the movement of any dangerous parts of it before any part of a person enters a danger zone. This will normally be by fixed guarding, but where routine access is needed, other measures may be needed to stop the movement of dangerous parts, for example by having interlocked guards, pressure mats and electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPE). Further detailed guidance on safe working with machinery is available.

Film & Foil Solutions Ltd, of North Florida Road, Haydock Industrial

Estate, Haydock, St. Helens, Merseyside, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £2,932 in costs at Sefton Magistrates’ Court on 15 May 2025.

HSE inspector Sam Eves said “This incident could so easily have been avoided had the company taken simple steps to guard dangerous parts of machinery and implement safe working practices.

“Companies and individuals should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Matthew Reynolds and supported by Paralegal Officer Imogen Isaac.

Further information:

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. detailed guidance on safe working with machinery is available.
5. 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.