• Apprentice engineer Conor Moseley, 20, died when a fire suppression system unexpectedly activated, filling the engine room with toxic gases.
• HSE investigation found no safe system of work existed for coordinating multiple contractors working in the cramped engine room, and no effective emergency plan was in place.
• Company fined after pleading guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

One of Britain’s leading fishing industry firms has been fined £100,000 after an apprentice engineer died in the engine room of a trawler in Newlyn Harbour.

Conor Moseley, aged 20, died when fire extinguisher gases left him unable to escape the engine room of a trawler on 15 November 2019.

Conor and three other workers were carrying out work on the Resurgam, a fishing vessel owned and operated by W. Stevenson & Sons Limited, when a fire suppression system being installed by Ocean Engineering (Fire) Ltd unexpectedly activated. It filled the engine room with hot, toxic gases, creating dangerous conditions and making it difficult to see.

The small, enclosed engine room had only one way in and out. Workers had to climb a ladder and pass through a hatch one at a time, passing through a gas jet in excess of 75°C. The other workers managed to climb out, but Conor was overcome by carbon monoxide and other substances, leaving him unable to escape.

His colleagues tried to rescue him, putting themselves at risk in the process, but they were unable to reach him. Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service later rescued Conor from the engine room, but he could not be revived.

Tracy Moseley, Conor’s mother, reflected on her son’s life and the impact his death has had on them.

“Growing up Conor loved nothing better than helping out on his dad’s boat.

“Conor always made himself available to help his father when he came in from sea and would be ready to help him land his catch even after a full day’s work. Now for Steve, my husband, there is just an empty place that cannot be filled.

“All we have now are his ashes which are kept in his bedroom.  Every morning I go in and say, ‘morning little man I love you’ and blow him a kiss.  I never say ‘good morning’ as it can never be a good morning without him.

“At night I blow him a kiss and say ‘night night little man, I love you’.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the risks created by several contractors working in the cramped engine room had not been properly considered. One contractor described the room as a mess, with poor lighting and trip hazards, and said that at one point six or seven people were working in the space. One witness described it as chaos.

There was no safe system of work for installing the fire suppression system and no effective emergency plan. A permit-to-work system could have been used to coordinate the different activities and ensure they were carried out safely. HSE’s Safety in Docks Approved Code of Practice highlights the need for parties to work together and have an overall written plan covering responsibilities, shared risks and emergency arrangements.

At Truro Crown Court on 15 October 2026, W. Stevenson & Sons Ltd entered guilty pleas to two charges under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, sections 2(1) and 3(1). The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £27,906.

HSE principal inspector Helena Allum said:

“This was a particularly complicated case requiring significant HSE specialist and scientific input. A number of duty holders played a part in the circumstances leading to the death of Conor; all were investigated.

“While W. Stevenson & Sons Ltd was not responsible for the fire suppression system going off unexpectedly, it was responsible for considering what could go wrong during the installation and maintenance activities, and coordinating them so that as few people as possible were put at risk.

“They had not considered how workers could be quickly rescued in an emergency and receive prompt medical attention. This should be a key consideration when people are working in a restricted space.

“Conor’s death was a tragedy. He need not have been in the engine room at the time. When the worst happened, they couldn’t get him out in time to save him.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE senior enforcement lawyer Jon Mack and paralegal officer Mike Millman.

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.

New campaign highlights how employers can prevent permanent hearing loss, tinnitus and hand-arm vibration syndrome through effective workplace action 

• Around 15,000 workers develop hearing problems caused or made worse by work every year, with an estimated one in five exposed to harmful noise levels. 

• HSE launches a new campaign during Bone and Joint Health Week, building on its work to reduce HAVS, including the Prevention Programme’s HAVS Risk Reduction Pledge. 

• Campaign promotes a simple three-step approach – Assess. Control. Protect. – to help employers prevent permanent, life-changing ill health. 

Around 15,000 workers develop hearing problems caused or made worse by work every year, while an estimated one in five workers is exposed to harmful levels of noise at work. 

The effects can be permanent, with workers often unaware they are being harmed until symptoms begin to appear, by which time some damage may already be irreversible. 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is today launching a new campaign urging employers to assess workplace noise and vibration risks, reduce exposure and protect workers from preventable ill health. 

Launched during Bone and Joint Health Week, and building on HSE’s wider work to reduce Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), including the Prevention Programme’s HAVS Risk Reduction Pledge, the campaign highlights the importance of taking action before workers’ health is affected. 

Noise and vibration are common workplace hazards across sectors including construction, manufacturing, agriculture, utilities, waste management, engineering, maintenance and entertainment and events. Exposure often comes from tools, machinery and equipment used every day. 

Prolonged or excessive exposure to noise can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Hand-arm vibration can lead to HAVS and carpal tunnel syndrome, causing numbness, tingling, pain and reduced grip strength. These conditions can affect workers’ ability to do their jobs and carry out everyday activities, sometimes for the rest of their lives. 

Hearing loss can make it difficult to follow conversations with family and friends, while tinnitus can cause persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, affecting concentration and sleep. For those living with HAVS, everyday tasks such as fastening buttons, holding a cup or using tools can become difficult. 

Chris Steel, Principal Specialist Inspector (Noise and Vibration), said: 

“Noise and vibration-related ill health is preventable, but the consequences can last a lifetime. 

“Workers may not realise they’re being harmed until their hearing is affected, or they begin to experience pain, numbness or tingling in their hands and arms. 

“Employers shouldn’t wait for symptoms to appear. They need to identify where workers are at risk, reduce exposure and make sure the right controls are in place. 

“We’ve already seen organisations demonstrate their commitment to tackling vibration risks through the HAVS Risk Reduction Pledge. This campaign helps employers turn that commitment into practical action. 

“Taking action early can protect workers’ health and prevent conditions that can affect their lives for years to come.” 

Employers have legal duties to assess and control workplace noise and vibration risks under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. 

HSE’s campaign encourages employers to follow three simple steps: 

Assess 

Identify who may be exposed to noise and vibration, understand the risks and carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments. 

Control 

Reduce exposure at source by choosing quieter or lower-vibration equipment, maintaining tools and machinery, introducing engineering controls and adopting safer ways of working. 

Protect 

Where risks remain, provide suitable hearing protection, arrange health surveillance where required, and give workers the information, instruction and training they need to protect themselves. 

The campaign provides practical tools, guidance and resources to help employers assess workplace risks, put effective controls in place and prevent life-changing occupational ill health. 

The campaign complements HSE’s Prevention Programme to reduce vibration-related ill health, including the HAVS Risk Reduction Pledge. The pledge encourages organisations to commit to reducing vibration-related ill health through effective risk management, worker involvement and long-term prevention. Employers can find out more and sign the pledge at https://www.councilforworkandhealth.org.uk/news/havs-risk-reduction-pledge-get-involved-and-sign-the-pledge/ 

For advice and practical resources, visit HSE’s Noise and Vibration campaign website.

Further information:

1. Around 15,000 workers experience hearing problems caused or made worse by work each year. 
2. HSE estimates that around one in five workers is exposed to harmful levels of noise at work. 
3. Exposure to excessive workplace noise can cause permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. 
4. Hand-arm vibration can cause Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome. 
5. Workers may be exposed to noise and vibration in sectors including construction, manufacturing, agriculture, utilities, waste management, engineering, maintenance and entertainment and events. 
6. Employers have legal duties under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 to assess and control risks. 
7. HSE’s campaign promotes a simple approach: Assess. Control. Protect. 
8. The campaign supports HSE’s Prevention Programme to reduce vibration-related ill health, including the HAVS Risk Reduction Pledge. 
9. Campaign resources are available through HSE’s Work Right campaign: https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/noise-and-vibration/  
10. For interview requests, case studies or further information, contact the HSE Press Office at [email protected].  

• Adam Evans was landlord of property and failed to get safety checks on gas boiler for eight years
• His tenant was a woman who lived in the property with her five children
• Annual gas safety checks are a legal duty

A landlord has been sentenced after failing to ensure gas safety checks were carried out at a rented property in Wirral.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that property owner Adam Evans failed to have annual safety checks carried out for a period of eight years. The house, on Salisbury Drive in New Ferry, was occupied by a tenant who lived with her five children.

HSE began its investigation in October 2024 after receiving a concern from Wirral Borough Council. The woman had lived at the property since 2016 and reported that no annual gas safety checks had been carried out during her tenancy.

Following enquiries, HSE requested copies of gas safety records from Mr Evans. He provided a certificate dated November 2024 that had been completed following the concern, but was unable to supply any records covering the previous eight years.

Gas safety checks are a basic legal requirement for landlords and are essential to ensure that appliances and flues are safe. Failing to have these checks carried out places tenants at risk of serious harm, including carbon monoxide poisoning.

The sentencing comes after the HSE issued a warning to the public recently amid a surge in prosecutions against those carrying out illegal gas work – Families warned of risk to life from unregistered gas work amid surge in prosecutions of illegal traders – HSE Media Centre.

Adam Evans, of Brownlow Road, New Ferry, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was fined £2,400 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs at Wirral Magistrates’ Court on 8 October 2025.

Members of the public are reminded that landlords must ensure that gas appliances are checked every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer and that records of these checks are retained. Carbon monoxide alarms should also be installed to provide an early warning of danger.

HSE inspector Ian Betley said:

“Adam Evans showed a complete disregard for the law and put the lives of a mother and her children at risk.

“The case highlights a serious failure by him to comply with well-established gas safety requirements.

“Annual gas safety checks are a legal duty and are in place to protect tenants from very real and potentially fatal risks.

“Landlords must ensure that gas appliances and flues are properly maintained and inspected by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Failure to do so will not be tolerated and enforcement action will be taken.”

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

Website: www.gassaferegister.co.uk

Phone – Consumers: 0800 408 5500; Engineers: 0800 408 5577

Email – [email protected]

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Chloe Ward 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. Guidance on domestic gas health and safety 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 in England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.

World Mental Health Day: Listen, identify and act on work-related stress 

• HSE urges employers to listen to workers, identify stress risks and take action this World Mental Health Day. 

• An estimated 964,000 workers are suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million working days lost. 

• HSE’s Working Minds campaign offers free tools, including the Stress Talking Toolkit, to help employers turn conversations into practical action. 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging employers to listen to workers, identify stress risks and take action this World Mental Health Day. 

An estimated 964,000 workers in Great Britain are suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million working days lost. These conditions account for 52% of all work-related ill health and 62% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health. 

This year’s World Mental Health Day theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” highlights the importance of listening to people’s experiences. In the workplace, talking to workers about the pressures they face can help employers identify potential causes of work-related stress and where changes may be needed. 

But listening is only the first step. Employers have a legal duty to assess the risk of stress-related ill health arising from work activities and take measures to control that risk. 

Work-related stress can arise when the demands of work, and the way it is organised and managed, place excessive or difficult-to-manage pressures on people. 

Kayleigh Roberts, Work-Related Stress Policy Lead at HSE, said: 

“This World Mental Health Day, we’re encouraging employers to listen to their workers and take action on what they hear. 

“Having an open conversation can help employers understand the pressures people are experiencing at work and identify where stress risks may exist. Our Stress Talking Toolkit provides structured questions and prompts to help employers start those conversations.  

“But listening is only the first step. Preventing work-related stress means acting on what you hear, whether that’s reviewing workloads, improving communication, giving people more control over their work or providing better support. Employers should identify the risks, take action and review whether those actions are working.” 

HSE’s Working Minds campaign sets out five simple steps employers can take: 

• Reach out – start conversations with your team using the Stress Talking Toolkit for helpful conversation starters. 

• Recognise – identify the causes of stress, including workloads, working patterns and how work is organised. 

• Respond – use HSE’s risk assessment tools to record the actions you’ll take to address the risks you’ve identified. 

• Reflect – review what you already have in place, consider whether it’s working and refresh your knowledge with HSE’s quick quiz. 

• Make it Routine – regularly check in with workers and keep work-related stress risks under review.

HSE’s Working Minds campaign helps employers prevent work-related stress by taking a risk-management approach, using free tools, guidance and online learning built around HSE’s Management Standards for work design and management. 

Visit the Working Minds website to find out more, access free online learning and use HSE’s stress risk assessment tools. 

Listening matters. But preventing work-related stress means turning what you hear into action.  

Further information: 

1. Figures are from HSE’s Labour Force Survey estimates, 2024/25. An estimated 964,000 workers in Great Britain are suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million working days lost. These conditions account for 52% of all work-related ill health and 62% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health. 

1. World Mental Health Day takes place on 10 October each year. The 2026 theme is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” 

1. HSE’s Working Minds campaign helps employers prevent work-related stress by taking a risk-management approach, using free tools, guidance and online learning. Visit https://workright.campaign.gov.uk/working-minds/ for more information. 

1. Employers have legal duties to assess and manage risks to their employees’ health arising from work activities, including the risk of stress-related ill health. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess risks to employees’ health and safety arising from their work activities and put appropriate arrangements in place to control those risks. 

1. HSE’s Stress Talking Toolkit provides structured questions and prompts to help managers talk with workers as part of their overall approach to preventing and managing work-related stress. The toolkit should not be used in isolation. Risks identified through conversations should still be managed. 

1. For interview requests, case studies or further information, contact the HSE Press Office at [email protected].  

• Employee lost part of his right thumb and suffered a crush injury to his hand during a manual handling task, just days after a near-identical incident
• HSE investigation found employee had not been given clear instructions on how to carry out task safely
• Worker was amateur boxer before hand injury – describing hobby as his ‘whole life’
• A had occurred in the days before this one.

Fitzpatrick Fabrications Ltd, a sheet metal fabrication company in Lancashire, has been fined £48,000 after an employee lost part of his right thumb and suffered a crush injury to his hand during a manual handling task.

On 24 October 2024, at around 11.30am, Mr Todd Marshall, a welder/fabricator, was working at the Fitzpatrick Fabrications factory at Malvern Mill, Nelson. The job involved welding and fabricating large pieces of stainless steel to form a finished hopper.

The hopper consisted of five component parts, which needed to be welded together. When each side of the hopper was welded, it needed to be lifted and repositioned so the next side could be welded.

Mr Marshall was carrying out this task on his own, holding the larger side of the 133kg hopper in the air while the smaller side rested on a desk. The hopper slipped on the smooth desk and came down onto his hand, causing a crush injury and partial loss of his right thumb.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had not conducted a risk assessment for the task and no safe system of work was in place. As a result, workers had not been given clear instructions on how to perform the task safely.

Upon further investigation, HSE found that a near-identical incident had occurred in the days leading up to this one.

HSE guidance states that employers must assess the risks associated with manual handling and take appropriate steps to avoid hazardous manual handling operations where reasonably practicable, or reduce the risk of injury where they cannot be avoided. The Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC Tool) can also help employers assess the most common risk factors associated with lifting and carrying activities.

In a statement, Mr Marshall said:

“Things I used to do without thinking are now hard for me. I need two hands to do something as simple as pick up small things. I struggle fastening buttons or zips. I was an amateur boxer before my injury. Boxing was my whole life. It wasn’t just a pastime or hobby. I think I could have gone further with it, but now I’ll never know.”

Fitzpatrick Fabrications Ltd, of Malvern Mill, Waterford Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. The company was fined £48,000 and ordered to pay £10,089 in costs at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 6 October 2026.

HSE Inspector Derek McLauchlan said:

“This was a wholly preventable incident which has had a profound and long-lasting impact on Todd Marshall’s life, made more shocking by the fact a near-identical incident had taken place just days before.

“Businesses should always give thought to the safest way to undertake manual handling operations; this means carrying out a robust assessment of the risks, and considering tools such as the Manual Handling Assessment Chart (MAC Tool) to help plan the task.

“The company failed in its duty to properly plan this task, and the fine imposed should serve as a clear reminder to everyone that HSE will hold to account those who fail to keep their workers safe.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Tom Ledden-Rocks and paralegal officer Stephen Grabe.

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.

1. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
2. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
3. Relevant guidance can be found here: Manual handling at work – HSE, Manual handling – HSE and Manual handling assessment charts (the MAC tool) – HSE
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.

• Connor Lambert, a trainee painter, was electrocuted while working in Chester
• The 24-year-old and his partner were expecting their first child
• His step dad has been sentenced for failing to properly plan for the work

A sole trader has been sentenced after his stepson was fatally electrocuted while working on a domestic property in Chester.

Daniel Watton, 50, trading as Inside Out Painters and Decorators Property Maintenance, was given a suspended jail sentence in relation to the death of trainee painter Connor Lambert. The 24-year-old, from Market Drayton, died after coming into contact with electricity, when a ladder was being moved near overhead power lines. He had been working at the house in Farndon on 29 July 2024 when the incident occurred.

Connor had been expecting his first child with partner Megan McCann at the time, and she described him as having the ‘cheekiest grin’ and being someone who loved family life.

Connor’s partner Megan McCann said:

“Connor was amazing. He had the cheekiest grin and would light up any room he was in – he was so funny.

“He was a caring person who always put everyone else first. He was very ambitious and he was an avid Arsenal fan. He went to loads of matches with my father and brother.

“He was a happy person who loved family life.

“We had been trying for our own family for three years and he was over the moon when we found out I was pregnant. 

“He never missed a midwife appointment and was elated when we found out we were having a baby girl.

“We had been on the phone talking the morning he died – I had just taken delivery of a moses basket and I was heavily pregnant at 32 weeks.

“But within minutes I got another phone call to say there had been accident and Connor was dead.

“I never thought I would have buried the love of my life and then given birth to our daughter 23 days later.

“She knows daddy is in the sky and at night he shines as a star – I’m making sure she knows who Connor is, but at some point I will have to explain to her what happened.

“I will never get over Connor’s death – I still feel angry, numb and feel a massive part of my world has gone.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Connor had been moving a fully extended ladder with a colleague at the gable end of the property. During this process, the ladder either came into contact with an overhead power line or came close enough for an electrical arc to form. While Connor was killed, his colleague suffered burns to his hands, feet, and stomach.

The investigation also found the work at height had not been properly planned, supervised, or carried out safely. The selected equipment and methods of work were unsuitable for the task and the risks associated with working near overhead power lines had not been adequately assessed or controlled. Additionally, the investigation identified issues in relation to the training and competence of those carrying out the work.

The original plan of work involved using a tower scaffold and ladders to paint the exterior of the property, including an area with a glass canopy; however, this approach was neither suitable nor safe. In practice, the work deviated from this plan, with ladders used throughout. This method was approved by Daniel Watton, but was also unsuitable and unsafe as demonstrated by the fatal incident.

Connor’s father Craig West, said the loss of his son had changed him, adding:

“This experience has changed me, my emotions, my temperament and my outlook on life.

“I’m agitated regularly and can become angry easily. I have lost the spring in my step and no longer have the drive I once had and work now has become a chore.

“After the findings of the inquest I find Connor’s accident even more tragic as it should have so easily been avoided.

“I do hold people responsible for this situation.”

HSE guidance states that where work at height cannot be avoided, it must be properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out safely. This includes using suitable equipment and work methods and ensuring those involved are competent. Where work near overhead power lines is unavoidable, measures must be taken to eliminate or reduce the risk, such as isolating the power supply, using appropriate equipment, and maintaining safe distances.

Daniel Watton, of Bean Bank, Wollerton, Market Drayton, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £10,645 in costs at Warrington Magistrates Court on 6 October 2026.

HSE inspector Keeley Eves said:

“This tragic incident meant a father never got to meet and hold his baby daughter.

“The fact it could and should have been prevented with proper planning and control measures, makes it all the more stark.

“Work at height and work near overhead power lines are both high-risk activities. Employers must ensure that suitable equipment is selected, risks are fully assessed, and workers are adequately trained and supervised.

“The very lives of those workers depend on these decisions.

“Our thoughts remain with all of Connor’s loved ones.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Jonathan Bambro and paralegal officer Lynne Thomas. The investigation was supported by Natalka Heath, HSE Visiting Officer.

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.

• Woman suffered burns to hands, face and legs when disposing of pyrotechnic waste at site in Lincolnshire
• GMK Limited had not risk assessed the work or provided her with suitable PPE
• HSE investigation also found company was in breach of its explosive licence

One of the country’s leading distributors of firearms for sports shooting and law enforcement has been fined £800,000 after a worker suffered burns at its site in Lincolnshire.

The 36-year-old was disposing of waste pyrotechnic material inside a manufacturing facility when it ignited and caused burns to her hands face and legs. An investigation by Britain’s workplace regulator found there was no suitable risk assessment and no safe system of work carried out by GMK Limited when the incident happened at the company’s Faldingworth base on 10 January 2023.

The woman had been working alongside a colleague disposing of waste pyrotechnic composition inside the production building at the site. The pair had been using a metal tray designated for the destruction of excess powders. However, during the process, a quantity of pyrotechnic composition came into contact with the hot tray and ignited unexpectedly, resulting in a flash that caused burns.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) established that GMK Limited permitted the woman to carry out a disposal method for waste pyrotechnic composition that had no safe system of work. They had also failed to carry out a risk assessment and the activity was undertaken in an unlicensed part of the building.

The investigation also identified that the company failed to provide the woman with suitable personal protective equipment (PPE), which, if provided and correctly used, may have prevented or significantly reduced the injuries she sustained.

Although GMK Limited had an established and recognised method for the disposal of waste pyrotechnic substances and articles, this approved procedure was not followed on the day of the incident. Instead, the unapproved disposal method carried out within the production building had been informally used for a number of years and had been undertaken on multiple occasions without proper assessment, controls, or oversight.

The industry guidance for the Safe Management of the Disposal of Explosives details what the explosives industry expects at a burning / disposal ground and how it is managed. It was a reasonably practicable to ensure that disposal took place at the designated area using the prescribed methods in the guidance document.

During the investigation HSE also identified that GMK Limited were in breach of their explosives licence in that they were storing pyrotechnics in areas within the production building that were not licensed for that purpose.

GMK Limited, of Fareham, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Regulation 7 of the Explosives Regulations 2014. The company was fined £800,000 and ordered to pay £10,306 in costs at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 2 October 2026.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Philip Smith said:

“For a leading company such as GMK to fail in the most basic of ways is hugely concerning.

“This young woman’s injuries could have easily been avoided with the implementation of safe working practices and use of the correct PPE.

“I hope the scale of fine handed out sends a message to industry that failing to protect workers will result in HSE taking action.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE advocate Tom Ledden-Rocks, enforcement layers lawyers Laura Lax and James Towey 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. 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

• 25-year-old man crushed while repairing excavator bucket
• HSE investigation of incident also uncovered failure to control exposure to welding fume

A company in Northumberland that manufactures earth moving attachments, such as excavator buckets, has been fined a six-figure sum after a man was crushed during repair works.

The 25-year-old suffered multiple fractures when he was crushed by an excavator bucket as he carried out repairs to it on 10 November 2023.

When inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an investigation into the incident, they also identified failures in respect of how welding fume was being controlled during welding and burning activities.

The man had been working for Miller UK Ltd at a site in Cramlington when the incident happened. The work involved removing worn pieces of steel from the excavator bucket. As the man was working within the mouth of the bucket, its structural integrity failed and the bucket collapsed onto him. He became trapped inside and it was only when two colleagues attached an overhead crane and lifted the bucket sufficiently that he was able to crawl free.

He sustained eight fractured ribs, two fractured knees, two fractured vertebrae and a bruised left lung.

The HSE investigation also found Miller UK Ltd had failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the repair work leading to the bucket collapse, and had failed provide a safe system of work and adequate instruction to its employees.

It was during a subsequent inspection by the HSE that inspectors observed workers using plasma cutters and welding equipment without suitable control measures to adequately control the risk of exposure to welding fume, a hazardous substance that can cause cancer.

HSE investigators also identified that the company had failed to conduct a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks associated with exposure to welding fume in its repair department. The company subsequently failed to implement and monitor measures required to reduce exposure to welding fume to as a level as low as reasonable practicable, including use of local exhaust ventilation.

Miller UK Ltd, of Cramlington, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Regulation 7(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. The company was fined a total of £173,334 and ordered to pay £8,674 in costs at North Tyneside Magistrates Court on 2 October 2026.

HSE inspector Matthew Dundas said:

“Our investigation identified that the repair work taking place was not being done safely and it left the man with serious injuries.

“Had the company identified the risk and ensured its employees were adequately instructed and trained, this incident would not have happened.

“This was an unusual case as the investigation was initiated following an incident where a young man was very seriously injured, however the subsequent intervention discovered additional failings, which led to further charges.

“As a result of the investigation, it was identified that other workers were not being adequately protected from the risks of welding fume.

“I hope this case highlights that HSE can and will take action when duty holders fail to discharge their health and safety obligations.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan 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. 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.

• 59-year-old father of two was killed when he fell from first floor
• The work had not been properly planned or measures put in place
• Falls from height remain leading cause of fatalities in construction industry

An Oxfordshire-based construction company has been fined £120,000 after a carpenter died when he fell through an unsafe first floor while carrying out refurbishment work.

W G Carter Limited, of Appleton, was sentenced following the death of 59-year-old Richard “Felix” Roper, who fell from height while working at a domestic property in Gloucestershire.

Mr Roper, a father of two, had been carrying out work on the first floor of Manor Barn House, Nether Westcote, on 30 August 2022, where extensive repairs were being undertaken to replace rotten floor joists and floorboards.

He had been tasked with replacing damaged floor joists while other workers removed sections of flooring in the same area. Large parts of the first-floor structure had been stripped back, leaving open gaps between joists. In addition, some joists were either missing altogether or had not been secured.

It was while working in these conditions, Mr Roper fell from the first floor to the concrete ground floor below. He sustained severe head injuries and died in hospital the following day.

A joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Gloucestershire Police found that the work at height had not been properly planned, appropriately supervised, or carried out safely.

The investigation identified several serious failings. Workers, including Mr Roper, were able to access areas of the first floor where flooring and structural supports had been removed, despite there being insufficient measures in place to prevent falls. At the same time, other workers were continuing to remove floorboards, creating and increasing the risk of falling from height.

Following the incident, HSE served a Prohibition Notice, stopping further work at height until adequate safety measures had been introduced.

Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace death and injury with the latest statistics from HSE showing that they account for over a quarter of all work related deaths in 2025/26.

HSE guidance states what an employer must do to protect their employees from falls from height including making sure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people.

The investigation found that W G Carter Limited had failed to adequately plan the work and implement suitable measures to prevent workers from falling. After the incident, the company adopted a safer method of working, installing floor joists from below using appropriate work-at-height equipment and preventing access to the first floor while the work was being undertaken.

On 24 September 2026, at Bristol Magistrates Court, W G Carter Limited, of 81A Eaton Road, Appleton, Oxfordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,247.

HSE principal inspector James Lucas said:

“Due to the failings of this company, a man lost his life.

“Every year, workers are killed or suffer life-changing injuries because work at height has not been properly planned or suitable safeguards have not been put in place.

“Had appropriate controls been in place, Felix’s death could have been prevented.”

“Our thoughts remain with Felix’s family. He was a valued colleague and a much-loved father of two who lost his life in circumstances that should never have arisen.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Gemma Zakrzewski, enforcement advocate Rowena Goodwin and paralegal officer Hannah Snelling.

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.

• 23-year-old fell from ladder while erecting fence near the A19
• The work had not been properly planned
• Falls from height remain leading cause of death and injury

A fencing and land services company in Ripon has been fined after an employee suffered spinal fractures when he fell from a ladder during the erection of an acoustic fence.

The 23-year-old man was working for Metcalfe Fencing Contractors Ltd at a site in North Tyneside on the 10 of December 2024. He had been erecting a four metre tall, 265 metre long section of acoustic fencing in between the busy A19, near Holystone, and a housing estate.

The work was planned in such a way that required the use of a ladder on uneven, muddy ground, and an excavator was used to lift the fence panels over the head of the operator situated on the ladder. However, the slings of the excavator became tangled in the ladder during this operation, causing the ladder to tip, and the employee to fall approximately two metres onto the ground.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Metcalfe Fencing Contractors Limited failed to properly plan the lifting operation and the work at height activities.

Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace death and injury and HSE guidance states that employers must ensure lifting operations and work at height activities are properly planned, and that they are carried out in a way which is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe. This includes making decisions about whether the work at height can be eliminated entirely. You can read more about our guidance here – Work at height – HSE.

Metcalfe Fencing Contractors Ltd, of The Annexe Heatherlands, Grantley, Ripon, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £22,000 and ordered to pay £5,327 in costs at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on 29 September 2026.

HSE inspector Matthew Dundas said:

“Every year, a significant proportion of accidents, many of them serious and sometimes fatal, occur as a result of poorly planned lifting operations or work at height activities.

“This particular incident was wholly avoidable. Had the company used reasonable practicable measures such as remote release clamps on the lifting equipment, and tag-lines to avoid the need to work on a ladder, this injury would not have occurred.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan 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. HSE guidance on working at height 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.