• Company failed to put suitable measures in place to protect employees.
• Worker suffered long-term damage to his hand following the incident.
• HSE guidance emphasises importance of safe isolation procedures before cleaning machinery.

A manufacturing company has been fined £340,000 after an employee was seriously injured while cleaning machinery at its site in Swindon.

The 42-year-old man had been working a night shift for Tyco Electronics UK Limited at its premises on Faraday Road on 7 March 2023. He had been tasked with cleaning a machine used to manufacture pellets made from a mixture of raw materials. During the cleaning process, the worker manually raised the hydraulic ram inside the machine and opened the door. He then used his left hand to reach into the open space to clean the machine.

However, as he withdrew his arm, the door fell at the front of the machine and activated the hydraulic ram, trapping his limb. He managed to pull his arm free, tearing nerves and tendons, before shouting for help.

He required three operations to reattach his fingers and spent ten days in hospital. He attended Southmead Hospital twice weekly for dressing changes and physiotherapy. He continues to experience loss of sensation and movement in his fingers, although he has regained some movement in his thumb.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Tyco Electronics UK Limited failed to put suitable and sufficient measures in place to prevent employees from being put at risk while cleaning the machine.

The investigation also identified that employees had not been provided with sufficient information and instruction on how to use and clean the machine safely. Training was found to be inadequate, and employees were not suitably supervised.

HSE guidance on safe use of work equipment highlights the importance of following safe isolation and lock-off procedures before carrying out any maintenance or cleaning work on machinery. Employers must ensure that equipment is properly isolated from all power sources and that systems are regularly monitored and reviewed to prevent inadvertent start-up.

Tyco Electronics UK Limited, of Company Secretariat, Faraday Road, Swindon, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £340,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,145 at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on 17 April 2026.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Emma Preston said:

“Machinery accidents during maintenance and cleaning are all too common, often with serious consequences.
“Workers should ensure that machinery is properly isolated from all sources of power so that it cannot restart during the task.
“Incidents like this can and should be prevented by following robust lock-off procedures.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Neenu Bains and supported by 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 are available.
4. Relevant guidance can be found here Safe use of work equipment – HSE and Using work equipment safely – 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.

• Worker suffered life-changing injuries after being run over by a reversing 15-tonne excavator.
• HSE found the company failed to protect pedestrians from moving vehicles in the yard.

A waste management company in Hampshire has been prosecuted by Britain’s workplace regulator after a man had both legs amputated when he was crushed by a 15-tonne excavator.

The 24-year-old man was working for R W Waste Limited at its yard in Shedfield on 7 November 2023. The excavator, operating in the same yard, reversed over him as he was sorting waste. Both of Mr Parrott’s lower legs were later amputated and he has been unable to return to work since.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that R W Waste Limited failed to protect workers and other visitors to the site. The company had not put in place suitable arrangements to keep pedestrians safe while vehicles were moving around the yard.

Health and safety legislation requires workplaces to be organised so that pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely. Where large vehicles must reverse, employers must consider additional precautions and implement them where appropriate to protect those working nearby. HSE guidance on reversing states that most of these accidents can be avoided by taking simple precautions.

Guidance can be found in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Approved Code of Practice and guidance.

R W Waste Limited, of Botley Road, Shedfield, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

At Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 16 April 2026 the court heard that the appropriate fine, after trial, would have been £180,000, which was reduced to £120,000 to reflect the company’s guilty plea. However, as the company had gone into liquidation and was unable to pay, it was ordered to pay a nominal fine of £1. No order for costs was made for the same reason.

HSE Inspector Nicola Pinckney said:

“The failures of this company has left a young man with truly life-changing injuries.

“He has not been able to work since.

“Unfortunately, this type of accident is sadly not uncommon in this industry.

“After the incident, and following enforcement action taken by HSE, the company did introduce a number of readily available measures that significantly reduce the risk of this happening again.

“We take these failures seriously and will hold those to account who fail to keep their workers and other people safe.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Julian White and supported by HSE paralegal officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.

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 are available.
4. Guidance on managing workplace transport can be found in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Approved Code of Practice and guidance.
5. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found online.

• Man sustained life-changing injuries resulting in amputation when crushed under one-tonne block of concrete.
• Investigation found the driver of a forklift truck involved in the incident had no training.
• Company failed to protect workers from moving vehicles on its site.

A vehicle maintenance company in Worcestershire has been fined after one of its workers was crushed under a one-tonne concrete block.

The father -of-two, 35, had been working for Redditch-based BA Mobile Fleet Services Limited when the incident happened on 14 December 2023.

His leg injuries were so severe his  left foot and lower leg subsequently had to be amputated, while he sustained serious injuries to his right leg. The man was also dismissed from his job after the incident.

The then 33-year-old had been inside an HGV box trailer as it was being loaded with the one-tonne concrete blocks. The vehicle was being loaded in preparation for a Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) brake test. He had been inside the trailer with a colleague while a third worker loaded the blocks using a forklift truck. It was during this process that the forklift truck ‘nudged’ a stack of blocks inside the trailer, causing them to topple on to the man’s legs – resulting in his devastating and life-changing injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that BA Mobile Fleet Services Limited had failed to take appropriate precautions to segregate workers from moving vehicles on site. The investigation also identified that the company had not provided training to the forklift truck driver and they had not authorised him to operate such vehicles.

Preventing workplace transport incidents requires organisations to implement proven control measures consistently. This means conducting thorough risk assessments, maintaining equipment rigorously, and empowering workers to identify hazards before incidents occur.

You can find comprehensive guidance on workplace transport on our website.

BA Mobile Fleet Services Limited of Unit 2 The Works, Tanworth Lane, Redditch, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. The company was fined £30,000 and was ordered to pay £4,325 costs at a hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on 15 April 2026.

HSE inspector Emma Page said:

“The injuries sustained here by this young man have been truly life-changing.

“Too many people are injured or killed every year in workplace transport related incidents.

“Companies should do all they can to ensure all workers go home safely to their families at the end of each day.

“We will take action against those who fail to do so.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Edward Parton and paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.

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.

• Company failed to provide hot water and suitable rest facilities.
• Failures continued despite HSE taking action.
• Provision of suitable welfare facilities is legal requirement.

A West Midlands based construction company has been fined after Britain’s workplace regulator found repeated failures at four different construction sites across the region.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspection at Ling Developments Limited’s construction site at The Crest, Oldbury Park, Telford in April 2024 identified health and safety failings related to a lack of adequate welfare provision. This included the failure to provide hot or warm water in the toilets and a lack of suitable rest facilities for workers. The inspection resulted in two improvement notices being served, requiring the company to take action to comply with the law.

On three previous occasions, the company had been found to have breached the same legislation. An investigation, initiated by HSE, identified repeated failings by the company which, despite enforcement action and advice from HSE inspectors, continued to provide sub-standard facilities that contravened their legal duties.

Under The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, principal contractors have a duty to provide specific welfare facilities for construction sites. Washing facilities must include:

• A supply of clean hot and cold or warm water;
• Rest facilities must be equipped with an adequate number of tables and seating;
• Suitable arrangements to ensure meals can be prepared and eaten.

Further guidance can be found here: Welfare: Overview – HSE

Ling Developments Limited of Maypole House, Maypole Street, Wombourne, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 13 (4)(c) of The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £15,858 and ordered to pay £3,858 in costs at a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 13 April 2026.

HSE Inspector Natalie Spurrier said: “The provision of suitable welfare facilities such as hot running water and basic rest facilities are the minimum all workers should expect – they aren’t a luxury.

“Our investigation found that Ling Developments Limited failed in its duty to provide the minimum standard of welfare facilities at some of its construction sites.

“Failing to comply with legal obligations such as in cases like this, places workers at unnecessary risk.

“We expect these responsibilities to be taken seriously and HSE will continue to take action when standards fall short.”

The HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and supported by HSE paralegal officer Lynne Thomas.

Further information:

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

• Worker’s leg amputated after being struck by moving cargo during unloading.
• HSE investigation found unsafe system of work and unprotected gap in roller deck.
• Company failed to prevent employees intervening with stuck loads.

A flower supplier has been fined after an employee’s leg was amputated following a serious incident at its processing facility in Huntingdon.

Andy Hazelden was working for MM Flowers Limited, at its site in Alconbury Weald, on 4 February 2023 when he was injured while helping to manually unload cargo from a delivery trailer ahead of Valentine’s Day.

Cargo had become stuck on the trailer, and Mr Hazelden, along with two colleagues, attempted to free it. As part of this process, he stepped onto a roller deck where there was a gap.

Once the cargo was freed, a skid slid from the trailer onto the roller deck and struck his left leg, which had become trapped in the gap.

The 60-year-old sustained devastating injuries and later underwent a series of medical procedures, ultimately resulting in a through-knee amputation.

His injuries have been life-changing, leaving him reliant on a wheelchair and the care of his wife. He has also been unable to continue his much-loved pastime of riding motorcycles.

Mr Hazelden said:

“I was fully conscious whilst trapped on the roller deck following the accident… at one point I was genuinely terrified I was going to bleed out and die. I could hear blood hitting the warehouse floor.”

“Much of the time during my stay at hospital I felt helpless and undignified. I have pretty much had to learn to mobilise in a wheelchair and learn to walk again using prosthetic limbs. I feel my identity has changed.”

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that MM Flowers Limited failed to ensure employees were safe when unloading aircraft skids from delivery vehicles in the intake area.

Workers were required to physically intervene when skids became stuck, exposing them to risk from moving loads. The investigation also identified a 10cm gap in the roller deck that had not been recognised or addressed, creating a risk of employees stepping into it.

HSE guidance states that employers must put in place suitable arrangements to manage health and safety, including designing effective risk control systems and ensuring safe systems of work are followed in practice. Further guidance can be found here: Managing for health and safety.

MM Flowers Limited, of Enterprise Campus, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £134,000 and ordered to pay £4,908 in costs at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 10 April 2026.

HSE Inspector Tom Pouncey said:

“Health and safety law is there to ensure people can go home healthy from work, sadly a man has had the rest of his life severely impacted due to his employer failing to fulfil their duty.

“Serious incidents like this can occur when everyday work activities have not been properly assessed and unsafe practices are allowed to continue.

“In this case, employees were exposed to risk by being required to manually intervene with stuck loads, and by the presence of an unprotected gap where they were working.

“Had the company identified these risks and implemented a safe system of work, Mr Hazelden’s life-changing injury could have been prevented.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Rebecca Schwartz and paralegal officer Michael Millman.

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.

1. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
2. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
3. Relevant HSE guidance can be found here: Managing for health and safety
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.