A defence technology company has been fined £800,000 after an employee was shot during testing of ammunition at a Ministry of Defence (MoD) range in South Wales.

The father-of-two was left paralysed below the shoulders after being shot by a 5.56mm bullet fired from a gun, 570 metres away. The incident happened on 25 March 2021 during a NATO ammunition quality assurance trial at the MoD Ranges in Pendine.

The now 42-year-old’s role had been to check the impact of bullets on a metal target and was in front of the target when the bullet was fired.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found QinetiQ Limited had failed to adequately risk assess the trial activity. As a result they did not have adequate precautions in place to ensure that no one was near the target when the rounds were fired.

• Employers are required by law to protect both their employees and others from harm and assessing the risk is just one part of the overall process and HSE guidance is available to explain what steps should be taken.

QinetiQ Limited of, Cody Technology Park, Ively Road, Farnborough, Hampshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety At Work etc Act 1974.  The company was fined £800,000 and ordered to pay £8,365 in costs at Llanelli Magistrates Court on 3 April 2025.

HSE principal specialist inspector Stuart Charles said of the employee: “His life and those of his wife and two children have been devastated by the severe injuries he has suffered.

“Simple and inexpensive steps could have been taken which would have prevented this incident.

“This case shows employers the importance of continually assessing the way they work and not just accepting historical practices.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement Lawyer Julian White and paralegal officer Imogen Isaac.

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. HSE guidance about managing and assessing risksis available.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has been fined £250,000 following failures relating to patient falls in its hospitals.

Three elderly patients sustained falls in 2022 and 2023 and they all sadly died. The cause of death of two of them was identified as being as a direct result of falling.

Richard Hughes, 84 and Gwilym Williams, 74, fell at Ysybty Gwynedd in Bangor in January and June 2022 respectively, while Nancy Read, who was 93, fell at Wrexham Maelor Hospital in January 2023.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) was initially investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following two other patient falls in 2020, one of which resulted in fatal injuries.

As a result, HSE took enforcement action against BCUHB that required it to implement an effective patient fall management system, including:

• ensuring patients had appropriate falls risk assessments (with clear risk controls detailed);
• that the risk assessments were reviewed and updated accordingly in the event of a patient’s health deteriorating;
• that staff received training on patient falls.

The enforcement action also required BCUHB to review the patient falls policy and to ensure the entire system worked effectively.  A follow-on inspection made in November 2021 identified that BCUHB were still not managing patient falls and this resulted in a further action being taken.

However, over the next two years, the three patients died and BCUHB had not implemented a system to identify and manage patient falls quickly, or provide staff with updated training.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and have been fined £250,000 and ordered to pay costs of £11,766.

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Sarah Baldwin-Jones said “This is the second time this health board has been prosecuted in less than 18 months.

“These incidents could so easily have been avoided had the BCUHB followed their own adult falls policy. Effective management of patient falls includes thorough risk assessment, effective communication on risk management, monitoring and re-evaluation should the patient condition deteriorate.

“Staff and agency workers need to follow the same training pathway, ensuring those responsible for falls management have the skills to make appropriate decisions.

“Unfortunately, these actions were not always followed and as a result some patients suffered falls, which resulted in two preventable deaths.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Gemma Zakrzewski and paralegal officer Sarah Thomas.

Further information:

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

An indoor skiing company in Tamworth has been fined £100,000 following the death of a schoolboy.

Twelve-year-old Louis Watkiss had been at a tobogganing birthday party at the Snowdome in Tamworth on 24 September 2021.  He was descending the main ski slope on a toboggan when it slid into the back of a member of staff who was conducting a slope walk. He fell backwards onto Louis who sadly died at the scene from head injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Snowdome Limited failed to ensure the safety of its customers, including Louis, while they were undertaking tobogganing at the venue.

The HSE investigation also found that Snowdome Limited did not have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for tobogganing activities and had not fully considered all persons likely to be on the slope during tobogganing. As a result, there was no safe system of work, information, instruction, training or supervision to manage the risk of collisions between toboggans and pedestrians.

Nathan Cook, senior enforcement lawyer for HSE said: “Louis went to a friend’s birthday party at the Snowdome and should have returned home safely to his family after an enjoyable occasion.

“Tragically, due to the failings of Snowdome Limited, this did not happen. Louis’s death could have been prevented if the company had adequately assessed and controlled the risks associated with tobogganing activities.

“This should act as a reminder  that venues and employers must ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessments are in place and employees are provided with sufficient safe systems of work, information, instructions, training, and supervision.

• Employers are required by law to protect both their employees and others from harm and assessing the risk is just one part of the overall process and HSE guidance is available to explain what steps should be taken.

Nathan Cook continued: “Our risk assessment guidance may be more commonly used for workplaces such as factories and construction sites, but the same principles apply for busy venues like indoor ski slopes. The possible risks to people from equipment and the movement of visitors and staff needs to be thought through.

“Our thoughts remain with Louis’ family.”

Snowdome Limited, of Leisure Island, River Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty at Telford Magistrates’ Court to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (‘the Act’). At a hearing on 26 February, they were fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,534.

The HSE investigation into this incident was carried out by HM inspector Keeley Eves, with the support of visiting officer Natalka Heath.

Further information:

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