A company has been fined after a crane collapsed at its site on Falmouth Docks, putting more than 250 people at risk.

Emergency services declared a major incident following the collapse at A&P Falmouth on 10 May 2017 with the surrounding area being evacuated and cordoned off.

The crane had been operating above Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship, Tidespring, when the driver noticed the jib was descending uncontrollably.

The driver managed to move the crane away from RFA Tidespring and over the dockside before it collapsed, with the jib landing on a cage of acetylene cylinders.

There were approximately 258 workers on site at the time.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found A&P Falmouth had failed to properly maintain the crane. Although the crane had been examined by a third-party, its recommendations regarding defects were not acted on by A&P Falmouth.

HSE guidance can be found at: Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) (hse.gov.uk)

A&P Falmouth Limited, of Wagonway Road, Hebburn, Tyne and Wear pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £750,000 and ordered to pay £26,792.30 in costs at Truro Crown Court on 11 October 2024.

HSE inspector Melissa Lai-Hung said: “This was a very serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was injured or killed as a result of this catastrophic failure at Falmouth Docks.

“We thoroughly investigated this incident and found that A&P Falmouth Limited’s system of maintenance was not effective in preventing the collapse of the crane.

“This case not only highlights the importance of regular proactive maintenance but also the inspection of lifting equipment. Companies looking for advice in these areas can find readily-available and free guidance on the HSE website.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Vicki Hanstock and supported by HSE paralegal officer David Shore.

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.

A cosmetics company in Yorkshire has been fined more than £50,000 after an inspection by Britain’s workplace regulator uncovered serious electrical failings.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an unannounced inspection at the premises of Sabel Cosmetics Limited on Pellon Lane in Halifax on 5 July 2022.

During the visit, the inspectors uncovered electrical deficiencies that posed serious risks of both electric shock and electrocution to workers.

A subsequent investigation by HSE found there was a systemic failure within the company to address the risks identified with the electrical systems. The inadequate construction and maintenance of the electrical system at the premises presented an immediate risk of employees coming into direct contact with exposed live parts on equipment and machinery within the company premises. The company allowed the breaches to subsist over a long period of time.

Sabel Cosmetics Ltd of Pellon Lane, Halifax, West Yorkshire pleaded guilty to breaching  Regulation 4 (1) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. The company was fined £56,695 and ordered to pay £5,949 in costs at Leeds Magistrates Court on 10 October 2024.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Andrea Jones commented: “This case shows the importance of HSE inspections to help ensure health and safety risks are being managed effectively and protect people at work.

“It is essential that electrical wiring installations and electrical equipment are constructed and maintained in a safe condition to prevent injuries or even worse, death.

“In this case, simple inexpensive steps could have been taken to remedy the most serious defects, instead the company’s inaction has resulted in more than £60,000 in fines and costs.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
5. HSE guidance about electrical safety is available.

Bosses across the whole of Great Britain have been warned that they risk losing valued team members if they fail to manage their workers’ stress levels in the workplace.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding British employers of their legal duties on World Mental Health Day (10 October).

HSE’s Working Minds campaign provides readily-available and free resources for employers to help recognise the signs and tackle the root causes of stress.

Around half of work-related ill health is down to stress, depression or anxiety with each person suffering taking an average of 19.6 days off work.

Kayleigh Roberts, Work-Related Stress Policy Lead at HSE, has urged employers to use World Mental Health Day to take the time to assess whether they are carrying out their legal duties and what they can do to prevent employees suffering from work-related stress.

She said: “We find many businesses focus on the ‘nice to have’ rather than making changes that will have a real impact. That means creating working conditions and an environment that prevents stress and supports good mental health – designing jobs with realistic workloads and targets, and encouraging people to have a healthy work-life balance.

“Prevention is better than cure – employers need to get proactive on reaching out and recognising the signs and causes of stress and bubbling issues in teams before they become problems. If you suspect you already have a problem, tackle it, it can be daunting but it’s important to address the root cause.

“Failing to manage stress at work could lead to reduced productivity, sickness absence, or even losing a valued member of the team. Our Working Minds campaign has all the resources you need to make a change. You can get started in your own workplace, and you can share the resources to help others to thrive.”

Launched in November 2021, Working Minds now has 35 partners, who have joined HSE’s campaign urging workplaces to take action on work-related stress and mental health.

Working Minds helps employers to follow five simple steps based on risk assessment. They are to Reach out and have conversations, Recognise the signs and causes of stress, Respond to any risks you’ve identified, Reflect on actions you’ve agreed and taken, and make it Routine.

There are six main areas that can lead to work-related stress if they are not managed properly. These are: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Factors like skills and experience, age, or disability may all affect someone’s ability to cope.

HSE has a free online learning tool for businesses with over 9,000 people already registered with over 90% saying it was easy to use and felt they could implement what they learned in their organisation.

Helpful resources:

• register for our free online learning
• download a risk assessment template
• see the Talking Toolkit for help structuring your conversations
• access resources to share with others

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. To read more about HSE’s Working Minds campaign click here
3. For press and media enquiries please contact media.enquiries@hse.gov.uk

A nationwide bakery has been fined more than £360,000 after one of its employees lost a finger in machinery at a site in Northamptonshire.

Jacksons Bakery, a leading supplier of bread used in the commercial making of sandwiches, was given the fine after an engineer had a finger on his right hand caught in a flour sifting machine.

The then 31-year-old was assisting colleagues as they attempted to maintain the machine by clearing a blockage at the plant in Corby on 2 February 2023. Following removal of a guard, as the engineer assisted with the task, he checked the tension of a drive belt and his hand got pulled around the bottom pully which resulted in the amputation of part of his right middle finger.  The engineer was unaware that the machine had been switched back on.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Jacksons Bakery Limited failed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all their employees.

In this instance there was a failure to implement a safe system of work ensuring that machinery was isolated and then locked off during maintenance work when fixed guards would be removed.

Additionally, HSE found that engineers were unclear on when to isolate and ‘lock out tag out’ machines due to an absence of adequate training and instruction – and the fact that it was custom and practice to not robustly isolate and lock off illustrated an absence of adequate supervision and monitoring.

Jacksons Bakery Limited of The Riverside Building, Liverstone Road, Hessle, East Yorkshire, HU13 0DZ, pleaded guilty to contravening a requirement of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The company was fined £366,666 and was ordered to pay £5,386 costs at a hearing at Wellingborough Magistrates Court on 3 October 2024.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Rebecca Gibson said “This unnecessary incident highlights the duty on employers to ensure that there are robust procedures in place relating to maintenance activities.

“If an appropriate ‘lock out tag out’ procedure had been produced and implemented and with suitable training, the serious injury would have been avoided.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells and supported by HSE paralegal, Rebecca Withell.

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
5. HSE guidance on machinery safety is available.

A solvents manufacturer has been fined following an explosion at its factory in the Scottish Borders.

The blast at Rathburn Chemicals in Walkerburn on 10 January 2020 resulted in a laboratory, which was part of the factory, being demolished.

It was likely caused by excessive pentane vapour, generated by the company’s distillation process, overheating and being ignited by the site’s extraction system.

No one was injured by the explosion.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Rathburn Chemicals had an inadequate system in place which failed to control the amount of steam and heat being generated during its distillation process. The company also failed to adequately detect any signs of overheating which could lead to flammable vapour being ignited.

HSE guidance can be found at: The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 – Fire and explosion (hse.gov.uk)

Rathburn Chemicals (Manufacturing) Limited, of Caberston Road, Walkerburn, Peeblesshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £3,000 at Lothian and Borders Sheriff Court on 20 September 2024.

HSE inspector Isabelle Martin said: “This was a serious incident and it is fortunate that no one was injured by the blast. The explosion could have been avoided had Rathburn Chemicals simply carried out the correct control measures and safe working practices.

“This case also highlights the risks from distilling flammable substances, the need for reliable control measures and adequate training of employees. Companies looking for further advice on this issue can find readily available guidance on the HSE website.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.

A manufacturing company has been fined after an employee broke his arm while operating machinery at its site in Warwickshire.

Andrew Elson, from Rugby, suffered multiple fractures to the ulna and radius bones in his right arm while working at Screening Consultancy and Supplies Ltd on 25 November 2022.

The 54-year-old had been clearing debris off the bed of a radial arm drill at the firm’s site on Somers Road in Rugby, when his right hand became entangled in the machine.

This led to Mr Elson sustaining six different bone fractures in his right hand and arm, that required surgery.

He said: “I totally lost my independence for around two months and my wife had to do everything.

“I don’t know what the future holds. I work a manual job with my hands, I don’t know how long I can continue to do this for.

“I still have trouble using my hands and fingers, and sometimes I wake up and they are stiff, numb, and achy.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Screening Consultancy and Supplies Ltd had failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk associated with this work activity, and subsequently failed to implement a safe system of work.

HSE guidance can be found at: Health and safety in engineering workshops – HSG129 (hse.gov.uk).

Screening Consultancy and Supplies Ltd, of Somers Road, Rugby, Warwickshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £28,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,616 at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 19 September 2024.

HSE inspector Charlie Rowe said: “This prosecution highlights how employers should adequately assess the risks and then ensure they have a safe system of work in place for the operation of all machinery.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Chloe Ward and Neenu Bains, and supported by paralegal officer Melissa Wardle.

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.

A grandfather died after falling through a hole in his own bathroom that had been left by workers.

Kenneth Armitage landed on the kitchen floor below, in an incident his daughter Suzy said “should never have happened.”

The bathroom in Mr Armitage’s house on Whitestone Drive in Huntington, York had been getting converted into a wet room by the construction company Cooper and Westgate.

The company had removed the room’s floorboards as it accessed pipework, but left an unguarded hole in the floor on 8 February 2019.

The 81-year-old later fell through the hole and was found dead by his son-in-law the following evening on 9 February.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Cooper and Westgate failed to adequately secure the hole as its employees were not properly trained. The company had also failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, nor a method statement for the work involved.

HSE guidance can be found at: Working at height: A brief guide (hse.gov.uk)

Kenneth’s daughter, Suzy, said: “Our dad, who was sadly taken away from us, was everything to us. He was the kindest person you could ever meet.

“He was a fantastic dad to me, my brother and a loving grandad to all our children.

“I can’t believe he has gone, I keep thinking it’s a horrible nightmare and I will wake up and he’ll be there. Our hearts were broken that day and may never heal. It should have never happened.

“We are all still struggling to come to terms with losing him.”

Cooper and Westgate Co. Ltd, of Navigation Court, Calder Park, Wakefield, West Yorkshire was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £50,000 in costs at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on 17 September 2024.

HM inspector of health and safety Yolande Burns-Sleightholme, of HSE, said: “Employers need to fully assess and control the risks from work at height, caused by creating holes in domestic properties and recognise the importance of securing them effectively. They should then pass this knowledge on to their employees through suitable training and guidance.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided had Cooper & Westgate properly assessed the risks, put in place safe working practices and provided the correct training to its employees.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary

A company has been sentenced after a 62-year-old worker fell 10 metres to the ground and died during the construction of a new university facility.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the fall and subsequently prosecuted Balfour Beatty, with the firm fined £285,000 on Monday 16 September.

Igor Malka and a second contractor, Edmund Vispulskis, had been in a scissor lift while installing cladding during the construction of a new engineering hall at the University of Birmingham on 7 January 2020.

The pair, from Lithuania, fell approximately 10 metres when their scissor lift was pushed over by a nearby crane.

This led to Mr Malka losing his life while Mr Vispulskis sustained injuries to his spine and broken ribs, before spending seven weeks in a neck brace. Mr Vispulskis also required pins to be inserted in his pelvis and thigh.

Balfour Beatty had been the principal contractor while the National Buried Infrastructure Facility was being built at the university.

The crane was being used to move hydraulic equipment that had been delivered by a lorry. The equipment was set to be installed at the facility.

The HSE investigation found the incident could have been prevented had Balfour Beatty implemented better controls and put in place better communication between contractors. There were contractors at the site that were moving the hydraulic units into place with the overhead travelling gantry crane, and another team who were installing internal cladding. Balfour Beatty, as principal contractor on site, had a duty to ensure communication and co-operation between these contractors. There was also no lift supervisor present at the time of the incident.

The University of Birmingham was not prosecuted by HSE.

HSE guidance can be found at Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) (hse.gov.uk)

Balfour Beatty, of Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £285,000 and ordered to pay £21,768.88 in costs at Birmingham Crown Court on 16 September 2024.

HSE inspector Gareth Langston said: “This was a tragic incident that led to the death of a worker with another being seriously injured and still experiencing difficulties today as a result.

“Lifting operations must be properly controlled – they must be planned, with plans adhered to.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Andy Siddall and supported by HSE paralegal officer Helen Jacob.

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.

Twelve-year-old Louis Watkiss died after an accident at the Snowdome at Tamworth on 24 September 2021.
After an initial joint investigation with Staffordshire Police, HSE can now confirm Snowdome Limited has been charged with breaching section 3 of Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
A guilty plea has been indicated by Snowdome Limited and the case will be sentenced at Telford Magistrates Court on 26 February 2025.

*updated on 10 October 2024

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.

The National Grid has been fined more than £3million after its failures left a father-of-two with life-changing injuries from working on a pylon in South Wales.

Justin Hollins was working replacing step bolts on the pylon at Treforest Industrial Estate in Pontypridd, when he received an electric shock of 33 thousand volts. The 50-year-old sustained burns to 40 per cent of his body, including to his arms and legs, and also lost part of his right buttock.

National Grid Electricity Distribution (South Wales) Plc and 4 Power Ltd both received fines in relation to the incident, which happened on 3 December 2020.

Mr Hollins, who had six operations in the space of his first 10 days in hospital, told of how he required 24 hour care for months afterwards.

“This was a very difficult time, with relentless operations and endless, painful changing of dressings.

“Every day was a huge battle.

“I stopped needing to attend hospital appointments in August 2022 but will remain a burns patient for the rest of my life.

“At the time of my accident I was in peak physical condition, which I was told by the hospital is probably the reason I survived.

“I have been stripped of the opportunity to provide for me family doing the job I loved.

“Although I appreciate that I have been lucky to survive, I have to live with the physical and mental effects of the accident for life. I also have to live with the uncertainty of the long term damage 33 thousands volts have done to my internal organs.”

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Mr Hollins, also suffered nerve damage that affects mobility, was wearing a climbing harness and left hanging on the pylon for some time before being rescued by his colleagues.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that 4 Power Ltd who are based at Unit 1b, Iddenshall Hall Farm in Cheshire, failed to properly plan and assess the risk.  Had this been done, it would have identified that the arms of pylon were too short to do the work safely, while maintaining the specified safety distances as per industry standard.  National Grid Electricity Distribution (South Wales) Plc who are based at Avonbank, Feeder Road, Bristol failed to ensure that the electricity was off in order to do this work safely on the pylon.

4 Power Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and have been fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,123.

National Grid Electricity Distribution (South Wales) Plc pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and have been fined £3.2million and ordered to pay costs of £20,460.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Rhys Hughes said: “The injuries sustained by Mr Hollins have been truly life-changing. He is lucky to be alive.

“Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information and instruction to workers.

“What is so frustrating in incidents like these is if a safe system of work had been in place before the incident, his injuries would have been prevented.

“HSE provides advice and guidance to employers and workers unsure of what their duties are or how to comply for free on hse.gov.uk.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan and supported by HSE paralegal officer Sarah Thomas.

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.
5. Guidance on the safe use of work equipment is available.