A fencing contractor in Liverpool has been fined after an employee suffered an electric shock and burns as a result of striking a live underground cable.

Paul Taylor was working for City Fencing Contractors Limited on a construction site at Meade Hill Road, Manchester on 21 May 2024. He had been part of a team installing security fencing to the Meade Hill Shul synagogue.

The 59-year-old was using a breaker to dig into the ground in preparation to install the metal fencing. However, the father-of-three struck a live underground cable causing electric shock, which resulted in him sustaining multiple burn injuries to his stomach, chest and arms.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that City Fencing Contractors Limited had failed to implement suitable and sufficient controls to prevent risk from underground services.

HSE guidance states that construction work which is liable to create a risk to health or safety from an underground service, or from damage to or disturbance of it, must not be carried out unless suitable and sufficient steps have been taken to prevent the risk, so far as is reasonably practicable.

A safe system of work has three basic elements – planning the work; detecting, identifying and marking underground services; safe excavation/safe digging practices.

Careful planning and risk assessments are essential before the work starts. Risk assessments should consider how the work is to be carried out, ensuring local circumstances are taken into account.

Plans or other suitable information about all buried services in the area should be obtained and reviewed before any excavation work starts. Plans give only an indication of the location, and number of underground services at a particular site. It is essential that a competent person traces cables using suitable locating devices.

Before work begins, underground cables must be located, identified and clearly marked. Excavation work should be carried out carefully and follow recognised safe digging practices.

Further guidance can be found here: Excavation and underground services – HSE.

City Fencing Contractors Limited, of 1 Brookfield Dr, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 25(4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The Company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £5,487 costs at Warrington Magistrates Court on 26 May 2026.

HSE inspector John Padfield said:

“Underground services are widespread and represent a significant risk.

“It is important measures are taken to identify them before any excavation work is undertaken.

“On this occasion, an electrical cable was struck and an operative suffered severe burns.

“However, it could have been much worse and potentially fatal. Had the company implemented an effective safe system of work following HSE guidance, this incident would not have occurred.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Gemma Zakrzewski and paralegal officer Lynne 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. Relevant guidance can be found here: Excavation and underground services – 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.

• Employee suffered serious, life-changing injuries following incident at Siemens Gamesa site
• HSE investigation found serious failures in systems of work

Siemens Gamesa has been fined following an incident in which an employee suffered serious, life-changing injuries at a site in Hull.

On 18 July 2024, a 37-year-old woman was carrying out work as part of the construction of a wind turbine blade when a structure they were working on collapsed on top of them, leaving them paralysed from the waist down.

The task being undertaken at the time of the incident involved building the web section of the blade, a large internal structure running almost the full length of the blade to provide rigidity and prevent buckling in strong winds, functioning much like a spine.

The incident occurred at the pre-cast section of the web, which sits at the root end of the blade where it connects to the rotor. This section weighs approximately 800kg before additional materials are added during the build process.

As the injured employee and a colleague were preparing the pre-cast section to be wrapped in materials, it fell towards them after support poles, which had been holding the structure in place, were removed.

An HSE investigation found that the company failed to adequately assess the risks arising from the work; failed to devise and implement a robust safe system of work to prevent employees from removing the support poles; and failed to adequately train employees in safe working methods. As a result, employees adopted unsafe practices to complete the task.

Following the incident, the company implemented a system whereby support poles are locked in place and can only be unlocked by a nominated person holding the key, once the relevant stage of the build has been completed.

Employers are required by law to protect your employees, and others, from harm. Assessing risk is just one part of the overall process used to control risks in your workplace. Extensive guidance on managing risks and risk assessment at work is available on the HSE website.

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay £7980.80  in costs at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court on 22 May 2026.

HSE Inspector Mark Slater said: “All work activities that carry a risk to health and safety must be properly risk assessed, and safe systems of work must be devised and implemented. Where protective measures are provided to prevent catastrophic incidents in high-risk areas, secondary measures such as lock-off procedures should also be in place.

“In this case, inadequate risk assessment and inadequate systems of work left employees to adopt their own working methods, exposing them to an unacceptable level of risk. This was a wholly avoidable incident.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Nathan Cook and paralegal officer Henrietta Ruthven.

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: managing risks and risk assessment at work: Overview – 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 in Scotland can be found here.

• Employee suffered serious injuries after hand became trapped beneath three-tonne machine during lifting operation.
• HSE investigation found lifting operation had not been properly planned or carried out safely.
• Worker later underwent surgery to amputate two damaged fingers.

A machine manufacturing company in Shepshed, Leicestershire has been fined £170,000 after an employee’s fingers were crushed when his hand became trapped beneath a machine during a lifting operation.

An experienced machine tool fitter was working for Winbro Group Technologies Ltd at its manufacturing site in Shepshed on 17 January 2024 when his right hand became trapped beneath the foot of a three-tonne machine during a lifting operation involving a forklift truck.

The worker’s hand was underneath the machine when an unintended action caused the forklift truck’s forks to drop to the floor. The machine was lifted to release his hand and, following medical treatment, two of the worker’s damaged fingers were amputated in hospital.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Winbro Group Technologies Ltd had failed to ensure the lifting operation involving the forklift truck was properly planned and carried out in a safe manner.

HSE guidance states that where it is not reasonably practicable to avoid people working beneath suspended loads, employers should establish safe systems of work to minimise the risk. This includes ensuring loads are properly secured. Further guidance can be found here: Planning and organising lifting operations – HSE.

Winbro Group Technologies Ltd, of Illuma House, Unit 1, Gelders Hall Road, Shepshed, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £170,000 and ordered to pay full prosecution costs of £7,999, along with a victim surcharge of £2,000, at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on 12 May 2026.

HSE Inspector Rebecca Whiley said:

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

“This was a wholly avoidable incident caused by a lack of planning. HSE will not hesitate to take action against dutyholders who fail to do all that they should to keep people safe.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Neenu Bains and paralegal officer Hannah Snelling.

Further information:

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

Public Notice of an appeal by Faldingworth Defence Limited against the imposed variation of their explosives licence by the Health and Safety Executive

• Appellant Name: Faldingworth Defence Limited (FDL)
• Site Location: Faldingworth Base, Spridlington Road LN8 3SQ.
• Original Decision Authority/Respondent: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
• Nature of the Appeal: FDL is appealing to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions against the HSE’s decision to impose a variation on their explosives licence under the Explosives Regulations 2014.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has appointed Andrew Kinnier KC to hear the appeal on his behalf and to make recommendations about the outcome of the appeal so that he can make a determination in due course.

• Grounds for Appeal: The grounds of the appeal are as follows:

1. That the HSE has failed to identify any change in circumstances on the Faldingworth site since the issue of Exemption Certificates and Explosives Licences to tenants on the site that has resulted in the health and safety of those working there being prejudiced.
2. That there has been no material change in site circumstances and therefore Regulation 16(1)(a) is not applicable.
3. That a number of the changes proposed by HSE are outside the provisions of Regulation 16(1)(a).
4. That HSE has failed to give appropriate consideration to representations made under Regulation 16(5).
5. That HSE is acting contrary to the Explosives Regulations in the enforcement of separation distances.
6. That HSE failed to consult on reasonable alternatives to the variation proposed.
7. The action taken is disproportionate and unnecessary.

• Date of Hearing: This appeal will be heard in person at Henderson Chambers, 2 Harcourt Buildings, Temple, London EC4Y 9DB on 15 and 16 June 2026
• Persons wishing to attend or be heard:  Persons wishing to attend the appeal or to apply to be heard at the appeal shall inform the Health and Safety Executive by 5^th June 2026, either by emailing Explosives.Licencing@hse.gov.uk or by writing to:

Explosives licensing

1.2 Redgrave Court

Merton Road

Bootle

L20 7HS

Any persons applying to be heard must also serve on HSE a statement of their proposed submissions by 5 June 2026, which will then be shared with the Appellant and the Secretary of State’s Appointed Person. The Secretary of State’s Appointed Person will then decide the application to be heard.

• Worker has three fingers partially severed  after contact with moving machinery at Glasgow fuel plant
• Radio miscommunication led to worker believing high-spinning blades had been turned off
• HSE investigation found the company failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery

A biomass company in Glasgow has been fined a six-figure sum after a worker lost parts of three fingers in machinery at the Daldowie Fuel Plant.

The incident happened at SMW Limited’s site in Uddingston, near Glasgow, in 2023.

A shift operator with 17 years’ experience at the plant, suffered his injuries on 8 June 2023 while attempting to clear a blockage on a surge hopper – a large vessel through which processed material passes at the end of the production line.

The 57-year-old employee had been clearing a blockage in a rotary lock valve which contained rotating blades that turn at 25rpm. As he attempted to clear the blockage, he removed a metal clip and rubber gaiter to gain access to the valve. Communication with the control room, which operated the valve remotely, was carried out by hand-held radio. There was no line of sight between the two areas, and the radios were subject to interference.

A miscommunication over the radio led the employee to believe that the rotary lock valve had been turned off. Believing it was safe to do so, he inserted his right hand into the hopper, where it came into contact with the moving blades. The index, middle and ring fingers of his right hand were all partially severed, and he has not returned to work since the incident.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that while the company had a specific safe system of work in place for clearing blockages on surge hopper rotary lock valves – which the man had been trained on as recently as April 2023 – they had failed to ensure that access to the dangerous parts of the machinery was prevented.

HSE provides detailed guidance on safeguarding machinery and preventing access to dangerous parts, including under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). PUWER places duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over work equipment. PUWER also places responsibilities on businesses and organisations whose employees use work equipment, whether owned by them or not. Further information on PUWER is available at the HSE website

SMW Limited pleaded guilty to breaching The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, Regulations 11(1) and (2) and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 33(1)(c) at Hamilton Sheriff Court on 20 May 2026. The company was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay a Victim Surcharge of £9,000.

HSE inspector Nicola Kerr said:

“This man’s injuries had had a profound impact on his life, and were completely preventable.

“Where workers are required to interact with machinery containing dangerous moving parts, employers must ensure that adequate physical safeguards are in place to prevent access to those parts.

“Relying solely on radio communication to control isolation – particularly where there is no line of sight and interference is possible – is simply not good enough.

“A fixed guard would have been a reasonably practicable measure that could have prevented this incident entirely.”

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 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) – overview – 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 in Scotland can be found here.