Plastics company fined £277,500 after workplace fatality

A medium-sized plastics company has been prosecuted and fined after a worker became trapped on an unguarded machine and subsequently died. The company pleaded guilty to breaching s.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated this incident and its investigation revealed that the company had failed to conduct a suitable risk assessment and lacked a safe system of work for that activity. The absence of risk assessments and safe systems meant that appropriate safeguards for machinery of this kind were not implemented, and it resulted in the worker becoming trapped and subsequently dying from crush asphyxia.

Businesses should ensure that they have risk assessments and safe systems of work for all operations. The HSE will prosecute for such failings, and by ensuring that these internal safety procedures are followed and complied with, will prevent future incidents and demonstrate to the HSE that steps are being taken to ensure workplace safety.