• Worker suffered broken ribs and a fractured collarbone after falling from stepladder.
• Ladders stored outside were in poor condition and accessible to employees, who were not trained on how to assess a ladder as being safe.
• Latest HSE statistics show falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace death and injury.

Wirral Council has been fined £6000 after an employee suffered serious injuries when a stepladder collapsed beneath him.

The Wirral Council Employee was attempting to access a loft space at the Council-operated Dale Farm site in Heswall, Wirral, when the incident occurred.

As he neared the top of the stepladder, it gave way causing him to fall to the ground. He suffered a fractured collarbone and broken ribs.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Wirral Council had failed to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of its employees by not adequately controlling the risks associated with working at height and the use of ladders.

The investigation identified failures in the Council’s management of work at height activities. Ladder use was not effectively controlled and despite identifying ladders that were not in a good state of repair and unsafe to use, they remained in place, accessible to any employee who wanted to use them. Furthermore, employees had not received training in in relation to how to assess a ladder as being safe to use.

HSE guidance, produced in partnership with the Ladder Association, sets out the practical steps employers should take to ensure ladders are used safely at work. Further HSE guidance explains the measures employers should take to prevent falls when working at height.

Wirral MBC pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The Council was fined £6000 and ordered to pay £4000 in costs at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 11^th August 2026.

After the hearing HSE Inspector Mike Lisle said:

“This worker suffered painful and life-changing injuries in a fall that could have been prevented.

“The council failed to put in place basic measures to manage the risks associated with working at height. Employees had not received suitable training and ladders were not being systematically inspected to ensure they were safe.

“Employers should ensure suitable equipment is properly maintained, workers are trained and robust arrangements are in place for all work at height activities.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement Lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Lynne 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:
   LA455-Safe-Use-of-Ladders-and-Stepladders-A-brief-guide.pdf
   Working at height: A brief guide
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.

• Man fell through barn roof at farm in Northumberland
• Company failed to protect workers carrying out the work
• Falls from height remain leading cause of workplace death and injury

A North-East building contractor has been sentenced after a bricklayer broke his back after falling through a barn roof in Northumberland.

The 24-year-old had been part of a team working for Len Smith & Son Building Contractors Limited carrying out repairs to the roof at East Fleetham Farm in Seahouses on 5 February 2025. The man stepped on a polycarbonate roof sheet and fell approximately eight feet to the concrete floor below. He suffered two broken vertebrae in his back, as well as having a fractured sternum, that required surgery.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to ensure that there were adequate measures in place to protect employees or contractors when working at height. There was no risk assessment or safe system of work for the work activity being undertaken.

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.

Len Smith & Son Building Contractors Limited, East House, 17 Meadow Lane, Beadnell, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to breaching the Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £5,744 in costs by North Tyneside Magistrates Court on 6 August 2026.

HSE inspector Richard McMullen said:

“The outcome of this case could have been much worse, but the man’s injuries were still very serious.

“Falls from height continue to be the leading cause of workplace fatalities in Great Britain, with 31 people losing their lives in the past year.

“The construction industry remains the sector that accounts for the greatest number of workers killed each year.

“These figures do not include those individuals that have sustained serious, life changing injuries in falls.

“We will prosecute those that fail to protect people while at work.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Karen Park and assisted by paralegal 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.

• Worker suffered hand injuries after it became caught in unguarded conveyor machinery.
• HSE investigation found the company failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
• HSE guidance explains employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous machinery.

A Thetford-based chemical manufacturer has been fined £100,000 after an employee suffered hand injuries when it became caught in an unguarded conveyor.

An employee was working for Easy Cleaning Solutions Ltd at its chemical manufacturing site in Thetford, on 24 April 2024, when he removed a cardboard box from a running conveyor and his hand became entangled in unguarded machinery.

The employee suffered a broken finger and bruising to three other fingers. His injuries required surgery and he was unable to work for six weeks.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Easy Cleaning Solutions Ltd had failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery, namely the powered conveyor linking two pieces of handling equipment within the packaging area of its Thetford site.

HSE guidance states employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. This will normally be achieved by fixed guards. Where routine access is required, interlocking guards (sometimes with guard locking) may be needed to stop dangerous parts moving before a person can reach the danger zone. Further guidance can be found here: The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

Easy Cleaning Solutions Ltd, of Brunel Way, Thetford, IP24 1HF, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £6,468.18 in costs at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on 17 July 2026.

HSE Inspector Paul Shackleton said:

“Every year, a significant proportion of accidents, many of them serious and sometimes fatal, occur because of poorly guarded work equipment.

“This was a wholly avoidable incident caused by the failure to guard dangerous parts of machinery. Had Easy Cleaning Solutions Ltd installed suitable guarding on the conveyor, this injury could have been prevented.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Chloe Ward and paralegal officers Chidimma Elechi and Anushka Lulith.

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 The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
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 suffered life-changing injuries after falling through an unprotected roof light during refurbishment work.
• HSE investigation found the company failed to put suitable measures in place to prevent a fall from height.
• Falls from height accounted for around a quarter of all worker deaths in Great Britain during 2025/26.

A construction company in London has been fined £60,000 after a worker suffered life-changing injuries when he fell through an unprotected roof light while carrying out refurbishment work at a domestic property in Fulham.

On 10 November 2023, a male worker was carrying out roof refurbishment work at a domestic property on Langthorne Street, Fulham. He was working for Lowndes Lumb Construction Limited, passing   materials through an open, unprotected roof light during a property renovation. He fell through the opening onto the concrete floor below, sustaining serious injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to take suitable measures to protect workers from the risk of falling from height. Measures to prevent falls, such as scaffolding, guard rails, an internal crash deck or harness systems, had not been used.

HSE guidance states that work at height must be properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out safely by competent people. Work at height means work in any place where, if precautions were not in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury.

Relevant guidance can be found here: Working at height: A brief guide.

Lowndes Lumb Construction Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £6,070 in costs at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 3 August 2026.

HSE Inspector Lydia Edwards said:

“Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace death and serious injury. The latest HSE statistics show they accounted for around a quarter of all worker deaths in Great Britain during 2025/26.

“This was a wholly avoidable incident that resulted in a worker suffering life-changing injuries. Had suitable measures been in place to prevent a fall, this incident could have been prevented.

“If you are working at height and think there is a risk that someone or something could fall, you must take action to control that risk.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Edward Parton and paralegal officer Melissa Wardle.

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 Working at height: A brief guide.
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.

• Bradley Willis-Chambers carried out gas work at two properties despite not being registered with Gas Safe
• Dangerous defects found at both properties and one home without hot water for an extended period
• Rogue trader had previously faced HSE enforcement for illegal gas work in 2012 and was later struck off the Gas Safe register in 2016

An unregistered gas fitter has been sentenced after carrying out illegal gas work at two houses in Hampshire, leaving the properties in a condition that could have endangered lives.

Bradley Willis-Chambers, 47, removed boilers at homes in Southsea and Tipner between 2021 and 2022, leaving a single parent with a young daughter without a working hot water appliance for an extended period, while a young couple in their first home were left facing costly repairs.

Following the removal of the old boilers and installation of new ones at both properties, concerns were raised with the Gas Safe Register about the installations and non-working parts.

An HSE investigation found that Bradley Willis-Chambers was unregistered – making the work illegal –  and had previously faced HSE enforcement action in 2012 for carrying out illegal, unregistered gas work. Although he later became a member of the Gas Safe Register, he was struck off in 2016 due to a failure to demonstrate competence, rectify defects and comply with registration rules. He had not been registered to undertake any gas work since 25 May 2016.

The property owners described the effects of the illegal gas work as being “misled at every stage”. They said the whole experience was “an ordeal” which “impacted not just… personal life, but also … work and relationships”, leaving them in an unfinished home and “still working to manage the debt” incurred, with the “emotional and financial toll” affecting them every day.

Alongside the HSE investigation, a Portsmouth City Council Trading Standards investigation found Bradley Willis-Chambers guilty of fraudulent trading against four victims during the same period. He is now subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order. Details can be found on the Portsmouth City Council website.

Carrying out gas work without registration is illegal and can have fatal consequences; unqualified work can lead to gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Members of the public should always check those carried out work on the Gas Safe register – anyone can check whether an engineer is registered by visiting www.gassaferegister.co.uk or calling 0800 408 5500.

HSE Inspector Francesca Arnold said:

“Bradley Willis-Chambers carried out illegal and dangerous gas work which he knew he was not registered to do.

“His failures could have led to catastrophic and tragic consequences for the homeowners, putting the lives of the homeowners and their children at risk.

“All gas work must be undertaken by Gas Safe registered engineers. The public should always ask to see the gas engineer’s identification and check the registration number online to ensure it is valid – it only takes a few minutes to check and could prevent disaster.”

Bradley Willis-Chambers, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty on the morning of trial to four counts of breaching Regulation 3(3) and Regulation 5(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court and was committed for sentence to Portsmouth Crown Court.

Finding there had been a “flagrant disregard for the law”, on 23 July 2026, His Honour Judge Newton-Price KC sentenced him to eighteen months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and imposed a requirement to complete 180 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £600 compensation to each of the victims in this case, along with the victim surcharge.

Bradley Willis-Chambers is currently prohibited by HSE from undertaking gas work without being registered.

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 – [email protected]

If you or someone you know has been a victim of a rogue trader incident, or you suspect a business has broken the law or acted unfairly, you can report this to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133, or report fraud at 0300 123 2040.

This prosecution was brought by HSE Senior Enforcement Lawyer Jon Mack, enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Helen Jacob. The investigation was supported by David Wilcox, HSE Visiting Officer, and Muriel Woolford, HSE Gas Safety 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. Relevant guidance can be found here: Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) as amended. Approved Code of Practice and guidance – 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.

• An event structure company and its director have been fined after a worker suffered life-changing injuries.
• The worker sustained multiple back fractures, a punctured lung and a broken leg.
• An HSE investigation found the dismantling work had not been properly planned or carried out safely.

An event structure company and its director have been fined after an employee suffered severe, life-changing injuries while dismantling an internal steel frame.

iSkate Limited employee, Natalie McCreith, 38, a former outdoor sports instructor, had worked for the company for 14 years when she was seriously injured while working at Beaverbrook Hotel & Golf Course Leatherhead, Surrey, on 26 June 2024.

Ms McCreith underwent an 11-hour operation, spent three months in hospital and she is still recovering following the incident.

During the dismantling of a steel beam temporary structure, a ratchet strap was being used to lower a steel beam weighing over 100kg. The ratchet strap was not designed for lifting or lowering loads and failed, causing the beam to fall onto Ms McCreith. She sustained multiple fractures to her back, a punctured lung and a broken leg.

Neil Munn, director of iSkate Limited, was on site at the time and made the decision to use the ratchet strap, instructing workers where to stand. He continued with the method even after Ms McCreith raised concerns about whether it was safe.

In a victim personal statement, Ms McCreith said:

“Since the accident, my life has been completely turned upside down it’s now the polar opposite of what it once was.

“I will never live the life I once had or be in a body that isn’t screaming at me all day, I wish I could turn back time.

“My family spent the journey from Liverpool to London thinking I was dead, they have had to watch someone they love go through agonising pain and continue to do so.

“I am not the person I once was, I can’t be everything I once was and for them this Journey also continues.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that iSkate Limited had failed to ensure that the dismantling of the internal steel frame was properly planned and carried out safely.

HSE provides guidance on structural stability during alteration, demolition and dismantling which states that demolition or dismantling arrangements should be written down before the work begins. This safe system of work may be in the form of a safety method statement identifying the sequence required to prevent accidental collapse of the structure.

iSkate Limited, of Norfolk House, Station Road, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 16(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, by virtue of Regulation 20(1). The company was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £6,949 in costs at a hearing at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on 28 July 2026.

Neil Munn, director of iSkate Limited, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, by virtue of Regulation 16(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and Regulation 20(1). He received a community order with 75 hours of unpaid work to be completed.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Russell Beckett said: “Demolition and dismantling is a high-hazard work activity, but if the work is properly planned it can be carried out safely. This accident has had a devastating effect on Ms McCreith and could easily have been prevented had the right work equipment been used.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Will Bodiam and paralegal officer Hannah Snelling.

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 are available.
4. Relevant guidance can be found here: Structural stability during alteration, demolition and dismantling – 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.

• Wayne Culliss got his son teenage Kazys to carry out boiler-replacement work despite the fact he wasn’t qualified to do so
• The work carried out was dangerous and resulted in a gas leak
• The lives of tenants – including a baby – were put at risk

A father and son have been sentenced after illegal gas work in a home in Stoke-on-Trent caused a leak that put the lives of those living there – including a baby – at risk.

Wayne Culliss, 55, had subcontracted boiler replacement work to his then 18-year-old son Kazys, despite the fact he wasn’t qualified or registered with Gas Safe to do so. The pair, of Boot Street in Whittington, pleaded guilty to offences after being prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The investigation by the HSE found that a British Gas engineer had attended a rental property in Hanley on 1 December 2023. This followed a report made by the tenant that the gas boiler was hissing and leaking cold water. The boiler was found to be dangerous and taken out of use, prompting the landlord to contact Wayne Culliss. He was a landlord himself, who also helped with the management of the property and he arranged for a new one to be installed.

Culliss Snr subcontracted the job to his son, Kazys, now 21, who carried out the illegal work on 9 January 2024. However, when another British Gas engineer inspected the boiler two weeks later as part of a Gas Safety Check, he could smell gas so immediately isolated the supply. After completing a gas tightness test, he identified a leak in the system, prompting him to cap off the supply. Gas leaks can have deadly consequences and the lives of the tenants, who also had a young baby, had been put at risk by the dangerous work carried out by Culliss.

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require those undertaking gas work to be Gas Safe Registered, and to hold qualifications to demonstrate their competency to undertake gas work.

Kazys Culliss of Boot Street, Whittington, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 3(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to a 12-month community order and must complete 140 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £500 in costs at a hearing at Wrexham Magistrates Court on 21 July 2026.

Wayne Culliss, also of Boot Street, Whittington, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs.

HSE Inspector Rob Gidman said:

“The work carried out by Kazys Culliss, under the instruction of his father, Wayne, was reckless and put people at risk of serious harm.

“Gas work must only ever be undertaken by Gas Safe Registered engineers and HSE will not hesitate to prosecute those who disregard this and put people at risk.

“I would appeal to anyone who is getting gas work done on their home to always ask to see the identification of who come out to do it. They should also check their registration number online to ensure it is valid.

“It only takes a couple of minutes but can keep you and your loved ones safe.”

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 – [email protected]

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Tiger and paralegal officer Lynne Thomas. The investigation was supported by Sarah Ough and Natalka Heath, HSE Visiting Officers.

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: Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (GSIUR) as amended. Approved Code of Practice and guidance – 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.

• Aaron Back, 41, fell from tipping bucket while dismantling pipework
• No suitable arrangements were in place to manage their contractors and ensure safety on their construction site
• Falls from height remain leading cause of death and injury.

A principal contractor has been fined after a man was left ‘physically ruined’ after falling from a tipping bucket on a fork lift truck in Kent.

Aaron Back, 41, a father of four, spent months in hospital after the incident at the EMIR site on Wotton Road in Ashford on 28 March 2023. The then 38-year-old had been contracted by South East Refurbishment Limited to carry out work dismantling pipework. He was in a raised tipping bucket on a fork lift truck at the time when he fell out of it to the concrete floor below.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that a scissor lift had been ordered to undertake the work but was too tall to enter the area where it was taking place – so the fork lift truck was used instead.

In a victim personal statement, Aaron Back said:

“Since the incident I am physically ruined.

“My left hand side doesn’t work properly. I can’t push off from my toes on my left so I struggle to get up and walk around.  My back also causes me excruciating pain.

“This accident has destroyed me as a person it has taken away my identity. I miss taking my kids to football.

“I have worked hard to improve and get better I want to be that person again.

“I worked hard for the company and I have been given a lifetime sentence.  I would give anything to be normal again to be back to being me.”

The HSE investigation found that no suitable arrangements were in place to manage the company’s contractors and ensure safety on the site. No actions had taken by the company either to ensure a different safe system of working was undertaken.

Although the company provided equipment to its labour-only subcontractor there was no training in place for relating to the fork lift truck or scissor lift for Mr Back or his sub-contractor. There was no instruction or procedure in place to ensure only trained operatives could get access to these and no adequate supervision on site.

HSE found significant failings by the company relating to unsafe work at height over a prolonged period of time, relevant advice and enforcement was given to them from 2013 regarding control of contractors and unsafe working at height.

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.

South East Refurbishment Limited of Unit 5 Aja Business Centre Laker Road, Rochester, Kent, pleaded guilty to Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, section 3(1).  The company was fined £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £27,241 at Margate Magistrates Court on 7 July 2026.

HSE inspector Joanne Williams said:

“Falls from height continue to be the leading cause of workplace fatalities in Great Britain, with 31 people losing their lives in the past year.

“The construction industry remains the sector that accounts for the greatest number of workers killed each year.

“These figures do not include those individuals that have sustained serious, life changing injuries, resulting from a fall from height.

“In this case Aaron and his family have had their lives changed forever following what was a completely avoidable incident.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Chloe Ward and assisted by paralegal Jason Dix.

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.

• Driver of dumper truck was instructed not to wear seatbelt
• Incident happened on housing construction site near Wigan in 2022
• Excavations on the site were not adequately protected

A groundworks company based in Warrington has been fined after a worker was seriously injured when a dumper truck overturned.

The incident happened on 10 October 2022 on a construction site in Ince. The driver had been reversing the one-tonne truck when it entered an unprotected excavation and overturned. The man, 27 at the time, was thrown from the vehicle as he was not wearing a seatbelt at the time. He sustained crushing injuries to his leg, resulting in a broken foot and ankle.

An investigation into the incident by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the man had not been wearing a seatbelt – despite HSE guidance and the dumper truck’s manufacturer’s instructions to do so.

Investigators discovered Jim Yates Limited had instructed workers not to wear seat belts while operating one-tonne dumper trucks. Instead, operators routinely fastened the seat belt behind them before sitting on top of it. This disabled the vehicle’s seat belt warning system and gave the false impression that the restraint was being worn correctly.

The investigation also found that open excavations on the site were not adequately protected to prevent vehicles from entering them

HSE guidance highlights that one-tonne dumper trucks are particularly vulnerable to overturning. Employers should ensure excavations are suitably protected to prevent vehicle access and operators should always wear seat belts so they remain within the protection provided by the vehicle’s rollover protection structure if an overturn occurs. Guidance on dumpers is available at hse.gov.uk.

Jim Yates & Sons Limited of Warrington Road, Risley, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £4,824 in costs at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 14 July 2026.

HSE Inspector Seve Gomez-Aspron MBE said:

“Incidents involving workplace transport continue to cause death and life-changing injuries every year, and overturning remains one of the biggest risks when using dumper trucks.

“This incident was entirely foreseeable and could have been prevented. Suitable protection should have been in place to stop vehicles entering the excavation, and operators should never be instructed not to wear a seat belt.

“Seat belts are a vital safety feature. They keep operators inside the protective zone created by the vehicle’s rollover protection structure if a dumper overturns, significantly reducing the risk of serious injury or death.

“Had suitable edge protection also been installed around the excavation and the operator been wearing the seat belt, these serious injuries could have been avoided.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Mathew Reynolds and paralegal officer Benjamin Stobbart.

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: Dumpers – 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.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continues to support Farm Safety Week, with new figures for 2025/26 revealing that children and older workers remain disproportionately at risk on Britain’s farms. Agriculture remains the industry with the highest rate of work-related fatalities.

Provisional data for 2025/26 shows that 29 people were killed in agriculture, forestry and fishing, including seven members of the public, three of whom were children. Over the last five years, nine children have lost their lives on Britain’s farms, representing 6% of all work-related fatal injuries in the sector. At the other end of the age spectrum, over 65s accounted for half of all worker fatalities in 2025/26 — a stark reminder that older farmers face particular risks in what remains a challenging working environment.

Over the last five years, the sector has averaged 28 work-related deaths per year. Measured per 100,000 workers, the fatal injury rate is five times higher than construction and 21 times higher than the all-industry average. Vehicles, falling objects, falls from height, animals and machinery continue to be the main causes of death, with moving or overturning vehicles alone claiming eight lives in 2025/26.

Wayne Owen, HSE inspector for agriculture said:

“The continued loss of life, particularly the deaths of nine children on Britain’s farms over the last five years, is both tragic and unacceptable.

“These are not inevitable accidents; many result from risks that could and should be controlled.

“Children, particularly young children, should not be in the farm workplace — they should be in a safe, fenced area such as a farmhouse garden.

“We are also deeply concerned about the number of older workers losing their lives. Over 65s account for half of all worker fatalities

“Meaningful and lasting improvement will only come through a significant cultural change across the industry — one that starts on every farm and with every farmer.

“HSE will continue to work with industry partners, including Britain’s Farm Safety Partnerships, to drive the cultural change that is so desperately needed.”

Free guidance, including , including What a good farm looks like and Farmwise (also available in Welsh), with both available at Agriculture – HSE.

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. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
3. Guidance for the agriculture industry is available – Agriculture – HSE.