2024 was sadly a year in which too many workers lost their lives or were seriously injured as a result of workplace health and safety breaches. Companies were fined substantial amounts into the millions of pounds for failing to uphold basic safety standards, resulting in life-altering injuries and fatalities. These incidents highlight the critical importance of risk assessments, adequate training, and safe systems of work in preventing tragic accidents. From the construction sector to the recycling industry, these cases serve as stark reminders of the consequences when safety procedures are neglected.
These significant fines underscore the vital need for companies to prioritise health and safety measures to protect their employees. Each incident demonstrates that simple precautions, thorough planning, and proper training can prevent catastrophic outcomes. It is crucial for businesses to learn from these tragedies and ensure robust safety practices are in place, not only to comply with regulations but also to safeguard the well-being of their workers.
Logistics firm fined £1m after employee falls from a height
Southampton Container Terminals Limited was fined £1 million following a workplace accident that left employee Christopher Hooper, 31, with severe injuries. On 20 September 2022, Mr Hooper fell 11 metres through an open hole in the driver’s cab of a straddle carrier at the company’s terminal. He sustained multiple fractures to his skull, back, pelvis, arm, wrist, and ankle after landing on the concrete floor below.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that the hole was created during the replacement of a glass floor, exposing workers to a significant risk of falling. Inspectors found that the company failed to ensure a safe system of work, particularly for coordinating maintenance tasks and glass floor replacement, and had not implemented adequate risk assessments or their own permit-to-work policies for work at height.
The company pleaded guilty and was fined £1 million and ordered to pay £11,664 in costs at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 2 August 2024. HSE Inspector Francesca Arnold emphasised the need for employers to manage risks associated with working at height, stating, “This incident has resulted in severe life-changing injuries for Mr Hooper. The hazards of working at height are well known, and this prosecution serves as a reminder that failure to implement effective measures can have serious consequences.”
Tata Chemicals fined £1.1m after fatal workplace incident
Tata Chemicals Europe was fined £1.125 million following the tragic death of 37-year-old Michael Densmore, a father of four, who sustained chemical and thermal burns while erecting scaffolding at the company’s Lostock Hall site in Northwich. On 30 November 2016, Mr Densmore slipped on an unsecured lid covering a trough containing heated calcium hydroxide, commonly known as ‘milk of lime,’ at approximately 90°C. Despite receiving specialist treatment, he tragically died on 3 January 2017 due to complications from the injury.
In a statement issued by his family, Michael was described as ‘a loving and amazing role model’ to his sons and two nieces. “Our lives fell apart and have not been the same since that terrible day,” they said. “Nobody should have to lose someone they love, due to an accident that happened at work.
An investigation by the HSE revealed significant safety failings. No permit was in place for hazardous work in the live chemical plant, and risks had not been properly assessed. Mr Densmore received minimal site induction, was not warned of the hazards, and encountered no visible warning signs despite a dangerous chemical product flowing through the plant. The incident also highlighted prior health and safety failings at nearby Tata Chemicals’ facilities, including previous prosecutions of health and safety failures at Lostock Hall site and the nearby Winnington Lane.
Tata Chemicals Europe pleaded guilty In addition to the fine, they were ordered to pay £60,603 in costs at Chester Crown Court on 5 June 2024. HSE Inspector Matt Lea criticised the company for failing to implement a robust permit-to-work system and warned other employers to learn from the incident to protect workers in hazardous environments.
“Companies should learn the lessons from this incident if they have staff or contractors working in a similar environment and be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
Recycling company fined £1.2m after worker injured by skip wagon
CF Booth Limited, a Yorkshire metals recycling company, was fined £1.2 million following an incident in which a worker was struck by a 32-tonne skip wagon at its Rotherham site on 10 August 2020. The employee, who was not wearing a hi-vis jacket, suffered a fractured skull and collarbone but has since fully recovered. The wagon driver did not see the employee due to concentrating on manoeuvring around low-level skips.
An investigation by the HSE revealed the site was poorly organised, with no measures in place to safely segregate vehicles and pedestrians. A proper workplace transport risk assessment had not been conducted, and simple control measures, such as physical barriers and designated crossing points, were absent.
CF Booth Limited pleaded guilty and was fined £1.2 million with an additional £5,694 in costs at Sheffield Magistrates Court on 25 April 2024. HSE Inspector Kirstie Durrans emphasised that the incident could have been easily avoided with adequate risk assessment and control measures.
“If CF Booth Limited had assessed the risks and ensured vehicles and pedestrians could circulate in a safe manner, this incident could have easily been avoided.”
Ginsters foods fined £1.28m after employee crushed by reversing lorry
Samworth Brothers, the owner of Ginsters food products, was fined £1.28 million after 40-year-old employee Paul Clarke was fatally crushed by a reversing lorry at The Cornwall Bakery in Callington on 2 December 2021. Mr Clarke, who had recently joined the bakery as an intake operator, was moving strip curtains in a loading bay when the lorry struck him. The curtains had been temporarily installed to replace a faulty roller door.
An investigation by the HSE revealed that the owners—Samworth Brothers—failed to assess the risks associated with the strip curtains and lacked a safe system of work for their movement. Employees received no training or instructions on handling the curtains, leading them to devise unsafe practices, such as standing in the yard behind reversing vehicles. This oversight was compounded by management failings, particularly as Mr Clarke was working his first lone shift in the role.
Mr Clarke’s mother, Bernice, described the devastating impact of his death, stating that her family’s lives will “never be the same.” She shared her heartbreak over losing a son who was deeply cherished by his family.
Samworth Brothers pleaded guilty and was fined £1.28 million, along with £24,106 in costs, at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on 7 November 2024. HSE Inspector Aimie Baker emphasised the need for employers to reduce risks associated with vehicle movements in the workplace. She highlighted that workplace transport incidents remain a major cause of fatal injuries, with 25 recorded in 2023/24, urging companies to conduct robust risk assessments and implement effective safety measures to protect workers.
Openreach fined £1.3m after engineer’s tragic death
Openreach Limited was fined £1.34 million following the death of 32-year-old engineer Alun Owen, who drowned while attempting to repair a telephone line near the River Aber in Abergwyngregyn on 6 October 2020. Mr Owen had been working on the river alongside colleagues for two months, facing heightened risks due to flooding that caused the water to rise and flow faster than usual.
On the day of the incident, Mr Owen crossed to an island in the river to throw a cable to the opposite bank using a hammer. Attempting to navigate a deeper section of the river, he slipped and was swept away by the powerful current.
An investigation by the HSE and North Wales Police found significant safety failings by Openreach. There was no safe system of work for tasks conducted near or in water, and Mr Owen, along with his colleagues, had not been provided with training or instruction on working safely in such hazardous conditions.
Mr Owen’s family paid tribute to his “friendly, loving and selfless character,” highlighting the profound sorrow of losing a loved one in such tragic circumstances. Openreach pleaded guilty and was fined £1.34 million, with £15,858 in costs, at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court on 5 June 2024.
HSE Inspector Christina Roberts stressed that the tragedy could have been prevented had Openreach implemented proper safety measures for working near water. She urged companies to learn from the incident and ensure robust risk management systems are in place to protect workers in similar environments.
Construction company fined £1.6m following death of 24-year-old worker
Brand Energy and Infrastructure Services UK was fined £1.6 million after 24-year-old Jack Phillips was tragically killed in a workplace accident on 8 August 2019.
Jack was working at South Cliff Tower in Eastbourne, assisting with the lifting of temporary Mast Climber Work Platform sections using a lorry-mounted crane. The operation turned fatal when the lifting sling attached to the crane snapped, causing the load to fall and crush Jack.
An investigation by the HSE and Sussex Police uncovered several failings. The company had not properly planned the lifting operation or established safe exclusion zones to protect workers. Additionally, Brand Energy failed to implement a robust system for inspecting lifting accessories. This led to the use of out-of-date slings, which contributed to the fatal incident.
In a heartfelt statement, Jack’s parents, Scot and Nichola, described their devastation: “Our child, our only son, is dead. Our life, our family’s life, has now changed forever. Jack was a happy-go-lucky ‘Jack-the-lad,’ and everyone who met him loved him. We will never see him grow old, marry, or raise a family. His sisters will never know the joy of him being an uncle to their children.”
The company pleaded guilty and was fined £1.6 million, with £23,193 in costs, at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 27 November 2024.
HSE Principal Inspector Ross Carter said, “This tragic incident led to the wholly avoidable death of a young man. It could so easily have been prevented if Brand Energy and Infrastructure Services UK Ltd had properly planned and managed the risks associated with lifting operations. The company failed in its duty of care to all its operatives, including Jack, by allowing poor safety practices to become entrenched in its culture.”
Recycling company fined £2.15m after agency worker struck by vehicle
Ward Recycling Limited was fined £2.15 million following the tragic death of 32-year-old Dean Atkinson, who was struck and fatally injured by a loading shovel at the company’s site in Hartlepool in January 2020.
The incident occurred as Mr Atkinson, an agency worker, returned from the site’s welfare cabins to his workstation on the picking line. To reach his workstation, he had to walk through a traffic area where a mobile plant, including two loading shovels, operated. One of the loading shovels struck and killed him.
An investigation by the HSE revealed significant failings by Ward Recycling Limited. The company had not implemented adequate traffic management arrangements to protect pedestrians from moving vehicles, leaving workers at risk of being struck. Loading shovels, in particular, pose a heightened danger due to limited visibility for operators, with HSE assessments showing that areas over 10 metres in front of the vehicle can be obscured.
Ward Recycling, which went into liquidation in 2021, was prosecuted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and found guilty of corporate manslaughter and multiple breaches of health and safety regulations. At Middlesbrough Crown Court on 26 January 2024, the company was fined £1.75 million for corporate manslaughter and an additional £400,000 for breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
HSE Inspector Stephen Garner emphasised that Mr Atkinson’s death was entirely preventable. “This tragic incident could easily have been avoided if Ward Recycling had implemented simple control measures. Following the incident, the company took less than a week to create an alternative traffic route to protect pedestrians. Had this been done earlier, Dean Atkinson would still be alive.
“Sadly, pedestrians being struck by vehicles on waste sites has caused many fatal accidents on waste sites and the industry should be well aware of the risks.”
Construction firm fined £2.34m after worker drowns in preventable incident
The construction company BAM Nuttall Ltd was fined £2.34 million following the tragic death of 60-year-old Gary Webster, who drowned in the River Aire on 30 October 2017. Mr Webster had been working on a boat alongside another worker to remove debris from the base of the weir gates at Knostrop Weir. The boat was pulled into turbulent waters caused by the strong flow over the weir, leading to its capsizing.
Mr Webster was repeatedly submerged in the water and was recovered by a diver 14 minutes later. Despite being transported to Leeds General Infirmary, he tragically passed away two days later, on 1 November 2017. The other worker managed to swim to safety.
An investigation by the HSE found several failings by BAM Nuttall. The company had trained and authorised operatives who could have controlled the weir gates to reduce the water flow, allowing the debris to either float away or be removed safely by boat. However, this step was not carried out.
BAM Nuttall Ltd pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrates Court on 12 June 2024, and was fined £2.345 million and ordered to pay £25,770 in costs.
HSE Inspector Jayne Towey criticised the company’s actions, stating: “BAM Nuttall Ltd failed to plan the work. It failed to carry out any assessment of the risks involved with the task. It failed to have any regard to the recognised hierarchy of controls to reduce the risk associated with removing debris from the water. It failed to ensure that suitable safety measures were in place and failed to put in place a safe system of work.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.”
Recycling firm fined £3m after fatality and serious injury in gas rig demolition
Veolia ES (UK) Ltd—a recycling company—was fined £3 million after a fatal accident and life-changing injuries occurred during the decommissioning of an offshore gas rig. On 17 October 2019, workers Stephen Picken, 62, and Mark Kumar were removing a 27-tonne skirt pile from a gas rig at the company’s Great Yarmouth facility when the structure gave way, striking the mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) they were on. The impact threw both men to the ground, with Picken dying at the scene and Kumar suffering severe injuries.
An investigation by the HSE found significant failings in the company’s planning and risk assessment processes, particularly regarding the removal of the skirt pile, which was deemed low risk despite its potential danger. The company failed to implement a cutting plan or a safe system of work, and the supervision was inadequate. As a result, Veolia ES (UK) Limited pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.
At the sentencing hearing on 22 July 2024, the company was fined £3 million and ordered to pay £60,000 in costs at Ipswich Crown Court on 22 July 2024. HSE Inspector David King emphasised the need for robust safety measures when working with large, hazardous structures,
“This incident, in an emerging industry, highlights the level of controls required to safely demolish what are large, dangerous structures. Veolia did not meet these standards and tragically one life was lost, and another forever changed.”
National Grid fined £3.2m after worker suffers life-changing injuries from electric shock
National Grid Electricity Distribution (South Wales) Plc was fined £3.2 million after a worker suffered life-changing injuries from an electric shock while working on a pylon in South Wales. On 3 December 2020, Justin Hollins, 50, was replacing step bolts on a pylon at Treforest Industrial Estate in Pontypridd when he was shocked by 33,000 volts. The accident caused burns to 40% of his body and resulted in significant nerve damage, affecting his mobility. Hollins required multiple operations and months of 24-hour care. He will live with the physical and mental effects of the injuries for life.
The HSE investigation revealed that 4 Power Ltd, the contractor responsible for the work, failed to properly plan and assess the risks, particularly the shortness of the pylon arms, which made it impossible to maintain the required safety distances. National Grid was found to have failed to ensure the power was switched off before the work began. As a result, 4 Power Ltd was fined £80,000, while National Grid received a £3.2 million fine for breaching safety regulations.
HSE Inspector Rhys Hughes emphasized the responsibility of employers to implement safe working methods and provide adequate training and instructions to workers.
“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.”
Prioritising health and safety in 2025 and beyond
As we head into 2025, companies must remember the critical importance of health and safety compliance to protect their workers, avoid financial penalties, and maintain a positive reputation. Here are key reminders:
Prioritise risk assessments: Effective risk assessments should be a cornerstone of any health and safety strategy. Companies need to continuously evaluate potential hazards in the workplace and put measures in place to mitigate risks, particularly for high-risk environments.
Adhere to regulations: Stay up-to-date with evolving health and safety regulations. New laws and standards are regularly introduced, and non-compliance can lead to severe penalties. In addition, specific industries, like construction and manufacturing, face stricter rules that demand careful attention.
Implement safe work systems: Establish and maintain clear, safe systems of work for all tasks, especially for high-risk activities such as working at height, with heavy machinery, or around hazardous materials. These systems should be regularly reviewed and improved based on the latest safety insights.
Engage employees in safety culture: Foster a culture of safety within the workforce. This involves proper training, clear communication, and involving employees in safety practices. Safety must be everyone’s responsibility, from top management down to the frontline workers.
Maintain proper training and induction: All workers, including new hires and temporary staff, must receive adequate health and safety training. It’s crucial to provide thorough inductions, particularly for workers in hazardous conditions or high-risk environments.
Monitor compliance regularly: Compliance isn’t a one-time task; it requires continuous monitoring. Regular audits and checks ensure that safety procedures are being followed, and any risks or failings can be identified and addressed promptly.
Learn from industry incidents: Tragic incidents such as fatal accidents or life-changing injuries should serve as powerful reminders of the real consequences of non-compliance. Companies must learn from these incidents to ensure that their own systems are robust and effective.
Be prepared for regulatory scrutiny: Regulatory bodies like the HSE have the authority to conduct inspections, and failing to comply can result in fines, legal consequences, and even criminal charges. Ensure that all documentation and safety systems are in place and regularly reviewed.
Invest in technology and safety tools: Use technology to support compliance efforts. From safety apps to automated monitoring systems, these tools can help track risks, document safety procedures, and ensure that regulations are adhered to across the organisation.
Ensure worker well-being: Health and safety compliance isn’t just about physical risks—it also includes mental health. Employers must be mindful of their workers’ well-being, providing support and creating a workplace environment that reduces stress and promotes mental health.
