Company fined after employee seriously injured by reversing flat-bed truck
Employee sustained life-changing injuries when struck by a reversing vehicle.
HSE investigation found the workplace did not have proper measures to separate vehicles and pedestrians.
Nearly one in four workplace vehicle incidents involving reversing – HSE guidance advises setting up one-systems to remove the need for reversing.
A landscaping and civil engineering company has been fined £125,000 after a man was seriously injured when struck by a reversing vehicle in Wolverhampton.
The 58-year-old employee of Jack Moody Landscaping and Civil Engineering Limited suffered life-changing injuries after a visiting flatbed truck reversed into him as he walked across the company’s site at Hollybush Farm on Warstone Road on 22 September 2017. The worker sustained serious head injuries, damage to his eyesight, and significant mental and psychological trauma.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the workplace had not been organised to allow pedestrians and vehicles to circulate safely. There were no clearly demarcated pedestrian routes, no instructions for drivers on safe vehicle manoeuvring, and inadequate arrangements to ensure vehicles could reverse without risk to those on foot.
Nearly a quarter of all deaths involving workplace transport occur during reversing. Many other reversing accidents do not result in injury but cause costly damage to vehicles, equipment and premises.
HSE guidance on reversing advises to remove the need for reversing altogether by setting up one-way systems, for example drive-through loading and unloading positions. Where reversing is unavoidable, routes should be organised to minimise the need for reversing.
Jack Moody Landscaping and Civil Engineering Limited, of Hollybush Farm, Warstone Road, Shareshill, Wolverhampton, was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court in November 2025. The company was fined £125,000 and ordered to pay £150,000 in costs at a sentencing hearing at the same court on 15 June 2026.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Principal Inspector Laura Royales said:
“This was a completely avoidable incident, caused by the company’s failure to put in place very straightforward measures to separate vehicles and pedestrians.
“Workplace transport incidents remain one of the most common causes of fatal injuries in this sector, and it is fortunate that this incident did not prove fatal.
“Employers must ensure their workplaces are properly organised to keep workers safe.”
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Risks to workers from extreme heat must be managed
Heat health alert issued until Thursday 25 June
Employers have legal duties to protect workers from extreme heat
Workers should talk to their employer if the temperature isn’t comfortable
Employers need to act now to make sure their workers are protected as a heat health alert has been issued for parts of the country until Thursday 25 June.
That’s the message from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the country’s workplace regulator, as summer arrives in the UK.
The regulator sees a surge in people seeking advice in periods of hot weather and, following the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing the alert, is calling on employers to plan for and support those working in extreme heat. The regulator says doing so will keep workers healthy and safe while also maintaining productivity.
Employers must assess risks to the health and safety of their workers by law, including risks from extreme weather such as heatwaves. While there is no legal maximum temperature for workplaces, heat is classed as a hazard and should be treated like other hazards.
HSE says everyone – whether working indoors or outdoors – is at risk and employers should discuss with workers changes to manage the risk.
John Rowe, Deputy Director for Technical Support and Engagement for the Health and Safety Executive, said: “Last summer should have been a wake-up call for all employers. If we continue to experience hotter summers this could have a big impact on the workforce of this country, affecting everything from health of workers to productivity on construction sites.
“The risks to workers from extreme heat must be properly assessed. Practical steps can include providing adequate ventilation and shade and allowing enough breaks for workers to cool down. We provide detailed guidance on our website hse.gov.uk.
“We know all employers are under pressure and we don’t want to add to their burden but it’s vital they think hard now about simple and cheap measures they can put in place to support workers should we see extreme heat again this summer.”
Simple measures to consider include:
Making sure workplace windows can be opened or closed to prevent hot air from circulating or building up.
Using blinds or reflective film on workplace windows to shade workers from the sun.
Placing workstations away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Putting insulation around hot pipes and machinery.
Offering flexible working patterns so workers can work at cooler times of the day.
Providing free access to drinking water.
Relaxing dress codes if possible.
Providing weather-appropriate personal protective equipment.
Encouraging workers to remove personal protective equipment when resting (ideally in shaded areas) to cool off.
Sharing information about the symptoms of heat stress and what to do if someone is affected.
Ends
Further information:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk
HSE guidance can be found at: Temperature (hse.gov.uk)
The UKHSA has issued a heat health alert for parts of the country until Tuesday 23 June 2026. Further information is available at ukhsa.gov.uk
HSE is progressing the review of guidance and associated code of practice (ACOP) for the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, ensuring our guidance reflects a modern workplace.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 place an obligation on employers to provide a ‘reasonable’ temperature in indoor workplaces. Detailed guidance is available on HSE’s website including information on measures that can be taken to improve thermal comfort.
There is a legal obligation under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 for all employers to make a suitable assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their workers and take action where necessary to minimise those risks as far as reasonably practicable. This would include the risks from extreme weather events, such as heatwaves.
“Everyone loved him”; Wife pays tribute to husband killed working at advertising printing company, as firm fined £400,000 for health and safety breaches
Maintenance worker killed while attempting to repair an industrial overhead door.
HSE found company failed to maintain doors – despite two previous incidents – and lack of regular inspection had led to deterioration
Employee killed found not to have been given suitable training to carry out high-risk repairs
Company fined £400,000 after pleading guilty to health and safety offences.
An advertising printing company in Cardiff has been fined £400,000 after a maintenance worker suffered fatal injuries while attempting to repair an industrial overhead door.
On 5 September 2022, 59-year-old Anthony (“Tony”) Webb, an employee of GNW 2023 Realisations Limited, was carrying out maintenance work on an electrically operated sectional overhead door at the company’s manufacturing facility in Cardiff.
Mr Webb was attempting to re-tension the door springs using an industrial wrench when the tool slipped. The spring unwound in an uncontrolled manner, causing the wrench to be ejected and strike him. He suffered catastrophic injuries and died the following day.
Tony and his wife Ewelina
In a victim personal statement, Tony’s wifeEwelina said:
“It is still very raw, and I feel like I am on a roller coaster. I still find it difficult to talk about Tony without breaking down crying.
“Tony and I were together 24/7. Tony liked fixing and repairing things for friends and neighbours. He was a cheeky chap, everyone loved him.
“I still meet up with Tony’s friends who are my friends also. I find it difficult when we talk about things and Tony isn’t there to experience it.
“Every day when I wake up it is like a cloud hanging over me. Some days I just cry without knowing I am going to.”
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had failed to adequately maintain the electrically operated sectional overhead doors at the site despite two previous incidents involving failing doors that had injured employees.
The investigation found the company had not implemented a programme of routine inspection or preventative maintenance, allowing the doors to deteriorate into a poor condition.
HSE also found that Mr Webb had repeatedly been permitted to carry out repairs to the doors despite not being suitably trained to undertake the work. The company had failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment, establish a safe system of work, or provide appropriate tools and equipment.
HSE guidance states that powered sectional overhead doors are classed as work equipment and must comply with the requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). Equipment must be suitable for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected by a competent person to ensure it remains safe.
GNW 2023 Realisations Limited, of Avenue Industrial Estate, Croescadarn Close, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
The company was fined £400,000 and ordered to pay £17,854 in costs at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on 17 June 2026.
HSE Inspector Georgina Bennett said:
“This incident was entirely avoidable. The maintenance of industrial doors is a high-risk activity involving stored energy within door springs; it requires specialist equipment and should only be carried out by people who are properly trained.
“This company failed to recognise those risks, and despite two previous incidents involving overhead doors, had not carried out regular maintenance to detect and deal with the deterioration in their condition.
“Were it not for these failures, Tony Webb’s death could have been prevented. Our thoughts remain with his loved ones as they mourn his loss.
This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Alan Hughes.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
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“Roedd pawb yn ei garu”; Mae gwraig yn talu teyrnged i’w gŵr a laddwyd wrth weithio mewn cwmni argraffu hysbysebu, wrth i’r cwmni gael dirwy o £400,000 am dorri rheolau iechyd a diogelwchbreaches
Gweithiwr cynnal a chadw wedi’i ladd wrth geisio atgyweirio drws uwchben diwydiannol.
Canfu’r HSE fod y cwmni wedi methu â chynnal a chadw drysau – er gwaethaf dau ddigwyddiad blaenorol – a bod diffyg archwilio rheolaidd wedi arwain at ddirywiad.
Canfuwyd nad oedd y gweithiwr a oedd wedi’i ladd wedi cael hyfforddiant addas i gynnal atgyweiriadau risg uchel.
Cafodd y cwmni ddirwy o £400,000 ar ôl pledio’n euog i droseddau iechyd a diogelwch.
Mae cwmni argraffu hysbysebu yng Nghaerdydd wedi cael dirwy o £400,000 ar ôl i weithiwr cynnal a chadw ddioddef anafiadau angheuol wrth geisio atgyweirio drws uwchben diwydiannol.
Ar 5 Medi 2022, roedd Anthony (“Tony”) Webb, 59 oed, gweithiwr i GNW 2023 Realisations Limited, yn gwneud gwaith cynnal a chadw ar ddrws uwchben adrannol a weithredir yn drydanol yng nghyfleuster gweithgynhyrchu’r cwmni yng Nghaerdydd.
Roedd Mr Webb yn ceisio ail-densiynu sbringiau’r drws gan ddefnyddio tyndro diwydiannol pan lithrodd yr offeryn. Datododd y sbring mewn modd afreolus, gan achosi i’r tyndro gael ei daflu allan a’i daro. Dioddefodd anafiadau trychinebus a bu farw’r diwrnod canlynol.
Mewn datganiad personol dioddefwr, dywedodd gwraig Tony, Ewelina:
“Mae’n dal yn amrwd iawn, ac rwy’n teimlo fel fy mod i arffigar-êt. Rwy’n dal yn ei chael hi’n anodd siarad am Tony heb dorri i lawr yn crio.
“Roedd Tony a minnau gyda’n gilydd 24/7. Roedd Tony yn hoffi trwsio ac atgyweirio pethau i ffrindiau a chymdogion. Roedd yn ddynchwareus, roedd pawb yn ei garu.
“Rwy’n dal i gyfarfod â ffrindiau Tony sydd hefyd yn ffrindiau i mi. Rwy’n ei chael hi’n anodd pan rydyn ni’n siarad am bethau ac nad yw Tony yno i’w brofi.
“Bob dydd pan fyddaf yn deffro mae fel cwmwl yn hongian drosof. Rhai dyddiau rwy’n crio heb wybod fy mod i’n mynd i wneud hynny.”
Canfu ymchwiliad gan yr Awdurdod Gweithredol Iechyd a Diogelwch (HSE) fod y cwmni wedi methu â chynnal a chadw’r drysau uwchben adrannol trydanol ar y safle yn ddigonol er gwaethaf dau ddigwyddiad blaenorol yn ymwneud â drysau’n methu a oedd wedi anafu cyflogeion.
Canfu’r ymchwiliad nad oedd y cwmni wedi gweithredu rhaglen o archwilio rheolaidd na chynnal a chadw ataliol, gan ganiatáu i’r drysau ddirywio i gyflwr gwael.
Canfu’r HSE hefyd fod Mr Webb wedi cael caniatâd dro ar ôl tro i wneud atgyweiriadau i’r drysau er nad oedd wedi’i hyfforddi’n addas i wneud y gwaith. Roedd y cwmni wedi methu â chynnal asesiad risg addas, sefydlu system waith ddiogel, na darparu offer a chyfarpar priodol.
Mae canllawiau’r HSE yn nodi bod drysau uwchben adrannol â phŵer yn cael eu dosbarthu fel cyfarpar gwaith a rhaid iddynt gydymffurfio â gofynion Rheoliadau Darparu a Defnyddio Cyfarpar Gwaith 1998 (PUWER). Rhaid i gyfarpar fod yn addas i’w ddefnyddio, wedi’i gynnal mewn cyflwr diogel a’i archwilio gan berson cymwys i sicrhau ei fod yn parhau i fod yn ddiogel.
Plediodd GNW 2023 Realisations Limited, o Ystad Ddiwydiannol Avenue, Clos Croescadarn, Caerdydd, yn euog i dorri Adran 2(1) o Ddeddf Iechyd a Diogelwch yn y Gwaith ac ati 1974 a Rheoliad 5(1) o Reoliadau Darparu a Defnyddio Cyfarpar Gwaith 1998.
Cafodd y cwmni ddirwy o £400,000 a gorchymyn i dalu £17,854 mewn costau yn Llys Ynadon Merthyr Tudful ar 17 Mehefin 2026.
Dywedodd Arolygydd yr HSE Georgina Bennett:
“Roedd modd osgoi’r digwyddiad hwn yn llwyr. Mae cynnal a chadw drysau diwydiannol yn weithgaredd risg uchel sy’n cynnwys ynni wedi’i storio mewn sbringiau drysau; mae angen offer arbenigol arno a dim ond pobl sydd wedi’u hyfforddi’n iawn ddylai ei wneud.
“Methodd y cwmni hwn â nodi’r risgiau hynny, ac er gwaethaf dau ddigwyddiad blaenorol yn ymwneud â drysau uwchben, nid oeddent wedi cynnal gwaith cynnal a chadw rheolaidd i ganfod a delio â’r dirywiad yn eu cyflwr.
“Oni bai am y methiannau hyn, gellid bod wedi atal marwolaeth Tony Webb. Mae ein meddyliau’n parhau gyda’i anwyliaid wrth iddynt alaru am ei golled.
Dygwyd yr erlyniad HSE hwn gan y cyfreithiwr gorfodi HSE Alan Hughes.
Nodiadau i Olygyddion
Yr Awdurdod Gweithredol Iechyd a Diogelwch (HSE) yw rheoleiddiwr cenedlaethol Prydain ar gyfer iechyd a diogelwch yn y gweithle. Rydym wedi ymrwymo i amddiffyn pobl a lleoedd, a helpu pawb i fyw bywydau mwy diogel ac iachach.
Mae rhagor o wybodaeth am y ddeddfwriaeth y cyfeirir ati yn yr achos hwn ar gael.
Mae rhagor o fanylion am ddatganiadau newyddion diweddaraf yr HSE ar gael.
Gellir dod o hyd i ganllawiau perthnasol yma: Rheoliadau Darparu a Defnyddio Cyfarpar Gwaith 1998 (PUWER) – HSE
Nid yw HSE yn rhoi dedfrydau, yn gosod canllawiau nac yn casglu unrhyw ddirwyon a osodir. Rhaid dilyn canllawiau dedfrydu perthnasol oni bai bod y llys yn fodlon y byddai’n groes i fuddiannau cyfiawnder gwneud hynny. Gellir dod o hyd i’r canllawiau dedfrydu ar gyfer troseddau iechyd a diogelwch yma.
Uninsured business owner sentenced after man fell through roof
Gary Saville instructed man to carry out roof work but wasn’t insured in the event of injury.
Jacob Black, 31, fell through skylight and was taken to hospital by air ambulance.
The roof work was carried out without any control measures in place.
An uninsured business owner from Lancashire has been given a suspended prison sentence after an employee suffered life changing injuries falling through a roof.
Gary Saville, 54, (trading as Bespoke Landscapes and Buildings) of Park Lane in Preesall, Poulton-Le-Fylde, was given an 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months and told to complete 260 hours of unpaid work.
He had employed 31-year-old Jacob Black to replace skylights on a farm outbuilding in Pilling, Preston, on the 17 June 2024, but he fell through a fragile roof to the floor below while carrying out the job.
HSE inspectors visited the site weeks after the incident and took this image of where Mr Black had fallen from
Mr Black, also from Preesall, was taken by air ambulance to Preston Hospital and as a result of the incident, required two lung operations, collarbone surgery as well as sustaining multiple bone fractures.
In a victim personal statement, Jacob Black said:
“I have always been an active person and prior to the accident I cycled and used to enjoy walking with the family.
“Now I am unable to walk long distances and it has to be flat as I become very breathless.
“I also have restricted movement due to the communal fractures of the shoulder, which has caused poor movement in my right arm and makes everyday things, such as using a knife and fork and carrying items much more difficult.”
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Saville had instructed Mr Black to walk across the fragile roof surface without any control measures, such as crawling boards and netting, in place to prevent or protect against a fall, ultimately leading to him falling through a fragile roof light.
Falls from height remain a leading cause of workplace death and injury and HSE has detailed guidance eon working at height and it can be read at hse.gov.uk.
Gary Saville of Park Lane, Preesall, Poulton Le Fylde, Lancashire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of The Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was given a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and told to complete 260 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £700 costs at Warrington Magistrates Court on 16 June 2026.
At an earlier hearing on 10 February 2025, Saville also pleaded guilty to not having Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) at the time of the incident. Most employers are required by law to provide ELCI cover to ensure successful civil claims can be met. Further guidance can be found on the HSE website at Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 – HSE.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Paul Taylor said:
“Falls from height remain the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries in UK workplaces and Mr Black is lucky to be alive.
“No control measures were in place to ensure the work could be carried out safely.
“To make matters worse, the man who employed him to do the job didn’t even have insurance in place should anything have happened.
“Nobody should be put at risk through the failures of those in charge.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Samantha Tiger and paralegal officer Stephen Grabe.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Handyman sentenced after illegal boiler fitting caused gas leak posing ‘immediate danger to life’
Dangerous boiler installation led to gas leak which ‘could easily have caused an explosion’.
Tenant in Birmingham property realised unregistered handyman Jaroslaw Mazan had lied about being on the Gas Safe Register.
Unqualified gas work can lead to gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
A self-employed handyman has been sentenced after carrying out illegal gas work on a property in Birmingham after he falsely claimed to be on the Gas Safe Register. The work resulted in several defects, including a gas leak, which inspectors from Gas Safe Register branded an ‘immediate danger to life’.
In November 2023 Jaroslaw Mazan was hired to carry out the work by the landlords of the property. The tenant witnessed him undertaking gas work and specifically installing the boiler, and realised that Mazan had lied about being registered with Gas Safe when they could find no evidence of this on the Gas Safe Register website.
An inspector from Gas Safe Register attended the property in December 2023 to carry out an inspection of the gas work, finding an immediately dangerous gas leak on the pipework to the boiler and several other, possibly dangerous defects.
The leaking gas pipe
This prompted an investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), which found that Jaroslaw Mazan carried out gas work without being competent to do so and without being registered on the Gas Safe Register.
HSE guidance states that only individuals who are on the Gas Safe Register should carry out gas work and that this work must be in accordance with appropriate standards. This guidance can be found here: Safety in the installation and use of gas systems and appliances.
While in this case nobody was injured, carrying out gas work without registration is illegal and potentially extremely dangerous. Unqualified work can lead to gas leaks, fires, explosions, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
At Dudley Magistrates’ Court on Friday 12 June, Jaroslaw Mazan pleaded guilty to breaching Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, Regulation 3(3), Mr Mazan received a 26-week suspended sentence and was ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the tenant of the property. HSE does not determine sentences, which are set by the Court.
HSE Inspector Harry Shaw said:
“This dangerous boiler fitting was a disaster waiting to happen, and the resultant gas leak could easily have caused a lethal explosion.
“The tenant did the right thing – and quite possibly saved themselves from serious harm – by checking the Gas Safe register and alerting inspectors when they realised Jaroslaw Mazan was unregistered.
“My message to anyone getting gas work carried out is simple; always use a Gas Safe-registered engineer, and if you aren’t sure of someone’s credentials, it only takes two minutes to check.”
The HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Stephen Grabe.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Leisure firm fined after death of footballer electrocuted by floodlight
Albert Xhediku, 34, had been playing football with friends in Portsmouth.
He was electrocuted by a floodlight as he climbed a fence to retrieve the ball.
Parkwood Community Leisure Ltd failed to act on previous incident just weeks before.
A leisure facilities management company has been fined after a man was electrocuted while playing football in Portsmouth.
Albert Xhediku, 34, had been playing five-a-side with his friends on the all-weather pitch at Mountbatten Leisure centre on 17 January 2016. After the ball went out of play Albert climbed a fence to collect it. As he did so, he came into contact with a floodlight which delivered the fatal shock. Despite efforts by his friends to resuscitate him, later that day he was pronounced dead at the local hospital.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the incident arose from worn and faulty wiring on the floodlight which Parkwood Community Leisure Ltd had failed to properly inspect and maintain. It was also found that this failing had been present for several years and no action had been taken to repair the equipment. This was despite a previous incident being reported to the leisure centre a month before Albert’s death when an off-duty police officer suffered an electric shock from the same equipment.
HSE provides guidance on the requirement to maintain electrical systems. This guidance establishes that electrical equipment should be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger to any persons likely to come into contact with the equipment.
Parkwood Community Leisure Ltd of The Stables, Duxbury Park, Duxbury Hall Road, Chorley, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 at a previous hearing. At Portsmouth Magistrates’ court on 16 June 2026 the company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £40,000.
HSE inspector Dominic Goacher said:
“This tragic incident should never have happened.
“What followed was a long and complex investigation.
“We found that the electrical system of the floodlight that resulted in Albert’s death had already been identified by Parkwood as being in poor condition, yet they failed to take action to remedy the faults.
“This case is a stark reminder that effective systems must be put in place to properly assess and manage the risks posed by ageing infrastructure on their sites.
“As always, our thoughts remain with Albert’s family and friends and we hope the conclusion of this case can offer them some comfort.”
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Two firms fined after worker fractures neck during platform collapse
Temporary wooden platforms collapsed during refurbishment project in City of London
Steve Zschoch, 60, described being ‘folded up like a concertina’ and has not been able to work since.
HSE guidance is clear temporary structures must be designed, installed and maintained to withstand any foreseeable loads.
Two construction companies have been fined after a drilling operative sustained fractures to his neck and back when a temporary platform loaded with concrete debris collapsed on top of him.
Steve Zschoch, now 60, was working for contractors Diacutt Limited on 23 February 2024 at a construction project at Paxton House in the City of London. The refurbishment project, which was being run by principal contractor Roots Contractors Limited, involved cutting openings through five concrete floors to create a service riser shaft.
A temporary platform loaded with concrete debris collapsed on top of Steve Zschoch
Roots Contractors Ltd had instructed its carpenters to build temporary wooden platforms under each opening to collect the 16kg concrete cores and debris that were generated by the cutting.
Mr Zschoch had been cutting an opening on the third floor, working directly under one of the temporary platforms, when it suddenly gave way and collapsed on top of him, along with chunks of concrete that had not been cleared away.
He described being “folded up like a concertina.” He sustained injuries including fractures to his neck, his back and a bleed on his brain. He described the profound impact of the incident on his day to day life;
“The impact this incident has had on me has been life changing in so many ways, he said.
“Not just in mobility issues but in my confidence to do just about anything.
“Even simple domestic tasks, like using the launderette or going to the shops can overwhelm me now. Emotionally as well as physically.”
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that there was no design for the temporary platforms and no calculation had been made for the safe level of loading.
Steve Zschoch suffered a fractured neck in the incident
While an inspection form for the platform was completed, it failed to identify any issues with the design, and the person tasked to complete it was a not a competent temporary works coordinator. We also found that although there had been a verbal instruction for workers to regularly clear the platforms of concrete and not ‘overload’ them, no safe level of loading was known, and there was no monitoring of whether the platforms were indeed cleared.
HSE also found deficiencies in the planning, managing and monitoring of the work by the contractor.
Risk assessments and method statements provided by Diacutt in advance were inconsistent and their requirements for the principal contractor to provide ‘crash decks’ were unclear.
There was no supervision of the drilling team by Diacutt management in the week leading up to the incident or on the day.
While operatives understood that they should not work directly below one another, there was a lack of coordination and clarity as to who should have been working where.
Temporary works must be carefully managed. The law says any temporary structure must be designed, installed and maintained to withstand any foreseeable loads which may be imposed on it and that it be only used for the purposes for which it was designed, installed and maintained. They should be inspected by a competent person on a regular basis. Guidance on temporary works is available at hse.gov.uk.
Roots Contractors Limited of Ewell, Surrey, pleaded guilty to breaching The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Regulation 16(2). The company was fined £19,333 plus costs of £5,548 at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ court on 11 June 2026.
Diacutt Limited of Croydon pleaded guilty to breaching The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Regulation 15(2) and was fined £13,000 plus costs of £5,548 at the same hearing.
HSE inspector Lucy Ellison-Dunn said:
“People rightly expect that when they go to work, they are not put in unnecessary danger, and this entirely avoidable incident had the effect of seriously injuring Mr Zschoch and ending his construction career much earlier than he wanted.
“Those providing temporary works have a duty to ensure that any temporary structure is properly designed and constructed to withstand any foreseeable load that might be imposed on it.
“This means having appropriate arrangements in place to manage temporary works. Contractors should ensure all construction work is properly planned, managed and monitored to ensure workers can carry out their work safely.”
The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyers Chloe Ward and Jon Mack, supported by Thomas Smith.
Notes to Editors
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Waste and recycling company fined after worker suffers life-changing injuries
Worker suffered life-changing crush injuries to arm after being pulled into a conveyor belt.
Contact with moving machinery is one of the most common causes of workplace fatalities in Great Britain.
HSE investigation found that the business had failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
A Bristol-based waste and recycling business has been fined after a worker was drawn into machinery and suffered life changing-injuries.
On 27 January 2024 a worker undertaking duties at Bateman Skips Ltd waste and recycling facility in Bristol slipped and made contact with the unguarded tail-end of a conveyor belt that was carrying waste materials.
The worker was attempting to clear a blockage that had occurred on the plant when their arm was dragged into the machine causing crush injuries that resulted in bone fractures, severe lacerations to the arm, nerve damage and a fractured rib.
In a victim personal statement, the injured worker said:
“I used to enjoy riding my bike, playing darts and snooker with my sons, working on cars and I am now unable to do any of these tasks.”
“This has been the most traumatic thing I have ever experienced both physically and mentally, and I know it will continue to affect me for the rest of my life.”
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Bateman Skips Ltd failed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees by failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery and by failing to implement a safe system of work for clearing a blockages within its waste recovery facility.
HSE guidance on the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) states that if part of a machine could present a reasonably foreseeable risk of harm, that part is considered a dangerous part of machinery.
Employers must protect their employees from dangerous parts of machinery by ensuring a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk is undertaken and safeguarding arrangements are in place such as the installation of guards and the implementation of a system of work which includes isolation of the plant ahead of any maintenance or cleaning activity, clear instructions, training and adequate supervision. PUWER guidance is freely available on the HSE website: PUWER 1998: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Open learning guidance – HSE
The unguarded conveyor
Bateman Skips Ltd, of Broadmead Lane Industrial Estate, Bristol, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 and breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
The company was fined £64,666 and ordered to pay £4,657 in costs at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 5 June 2026.
HSE Inspector Laura Artosi said:
“Workers coming into contact with moving machinery is one of the most common causes of workplace fatalities in Great Britain. Quite often, this relates to poorly guarded machines and the lack of a robust health and safety management system.
“This wholly preventable incident caused this person and their family physical and emotional pain which has been affecting their lives ever since.
“Employers have a duty to create a safe and healthy work environment for their employees. In this instance, had Bateman Skips Ltd ensured guarding was installed to the tail-end of the conveyor machine and had the company implemented a safe system of work for clearing a blockage within their waste and recycling facility, this incident would not have occurred”.
This HSE prosecution was brought before the Court by HSE Enforcement Lawyer Jonathan Bambro and Paralegal Officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Construction company fined after man died on ‘death trap’ site
Mykhalio Hustei, 35, had been working and living on the site.
He fell down an exposed excavation hole after returning from a night out.
Company only made site safe after his tragic death.
A construction company has been fined after a man drowned when he fell into an exposed excavation hole described as a ‘death trap’, at a building site in Hertfordshire.
Mykhalio Hustei had been working for Alchemist DB Limited as a labourer on a project building several flats on the High Street in Bovingdon. The 35-year-old had been living in a property adjoining the site when he attempted to make his way home from a night out on 22 October 2021. However, as he tried to access his own home he fell into one of the exposed excavation holes that was filled with rainwater. His body wasn’t found until around 2pm the following day.
The building site as it was when Mr Hustei lost his life
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Alchemist DB Limited had been acting as a contractor to build the flats as part of a family-run property development business. New excavation foundations had been dug for the building footings. However, they were crisscrossing the construction site without any designated safe walkways.
The investigation also found the company had failed to take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of those moving around and working at the site. At best, large boards and planks were used as bridges over excavations. The boards and planks were slippery and bowed when walked across. The site was also open to the weather, making it highly likely it would be slippery after rain, increasing the risk to those at site. There was also no dedicated lighting to the site and the boards and planks didn’t have handrails and weren’t secured.
The company only made the site safe after HSE inspectors visited the site following Mr Hustei’s death and took enforcement action. This included them installing dedicated walkways bridging over exposed excavations using scaffolding framework to prevent falls.
The site after the company made it safe following Mr Hustei’s death.
HSE guidance clearly states that no work should take place until all excavations are made safe. This includes protecting the edges of excavations with substantial barriers where people are liable to fall into them. Our guidance on excavation is available at hse.gov.uk.
Alchemist DB Limited of Devonshire House, Manor Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, were sentenced in absence for breaching Regulation 22(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs at a hearing in Luton Magistrates Court on 29 May 2026. Since the incident, the company is now in liquidation.
HSE inspector Rauf Ahmed said:
“As always, our thoughts remain with the family of Mr Hustei, a young man who was just setting out on his career in construction.
“He had been simply returning to his flat after socialising with friends.
“However, the site was quite literally a death trap.
“The measures put in place by the company after his tragic death are a crude reminder about what could and should have been done in the first place.
“We will always take action against those who fail to protect people from risk.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Edward Parton and paralegal officer Rebecca Forman.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
Construction company fined after joiner suffers life-changing injuries in skylight fall
Joiner suffered a complete spinal cord injury after falling through an unsecured skylight opening.
Principal contractor failed to properly plan, manage and monitor the roof work.
Worker found by his son, the only other person present on site.
A mechanical and engineering construction company based in Manchester has been fined after a joiner suffered life-changing injuries when he fell through a skylight opening while carrying out work on a domestic property in Altrincham.
Adam Kirkpatrick had been subcontracted by JLM Solutions Limited to construct the timber frame for a new roof. On 22 November 2023, the 53-year-old was walking across a piece of plyboard that had been placed over roof light openings in the roof structure. The board had not been secured and gave way beneath him, causing him to fall from height.
Mr Kirkpatrick’s son was the only other person present on site at the time of the incident, after the rest of the workforce had left for the day. He called an ambulance, and Mr Kirkpatrick was taken to hospital, where he was found to have suffered multiple injuries including a head injury, fractured ribs, a fractured sternum and a complete spinal cord injury. He is now paralysed from the waist down.
Work area where the incident occurred
He said: “I have worked in the construction industry since leaving school. I loved my job.
“I have always been able to provide for my family. Before the accident my wife had gone part time and we were making plans for retirement and spending more time with our grandchildren. This all changed due to the accident.
“It has gone from me being provider for the family to having to rely on other people.
“This accident has impacted my health. I have no feeling below my belly button, I suffer with severe nerve pain and have to self-catheter.
“Only for the NHS I wouldn’t be here today — they have saved my life.”
Mr Kirkpatrick’s wife Julie said: “On the day I was told that Adam would never walk again our world was turned upside down.
“Adam just loved to work. He lived for what he did and did it all for his family.
“It breaks my heart that Adam will never chase after his grandchildren again. He will never be able to play football with the boys or dance with his granddaughter. Everything my husband worked so hard for was to enjoy retirement and spend time with his grandchildren. That dream has been shattered since the accident.”
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that JLM Solutions Limited, acting as the principal contractor, failed to properly plan, manage and monitor the roof work. The company did not ensure suitable measures and equipment were in place to prevent or protect against falls from height and there was a lack of adequate site supervision during the work.
HSE guidance states that good management of health and safety in construction is crucial to the successful delivery of a construction project and principal contractors have an important role in managing the risks of construction work.
HSE also has detailed guidance on how to plan and carry out work at height safely which highlights the important of using suitable work equipment and implementing effective control measures to prevent falls available here: Health and safety in roof work.
JLM Solutions Limited, of Elliott Street, Manchester, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,850 and a victim surcharge of £2,000 at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 26 May 2026.
HSE Inspector Karen Farley said: “Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace death and serious injury. The risks are well known throughout the construction industry.
“This prosecution highlights the importance of properly managing work at height activities. Had suitable control measures been implemented, such as a safe working platform combined with appropriate supervision, this incident would not have occurred and Mr Kirkpatrick would not have sustained these significant life-changing injuries.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Benjamin Stobbart.
Further information:
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.
More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
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.
