Health and Safety / Corporate Manslaughter – 2025

INTRODUCTION
 

Throughout 2025, health and safety prosecutions have affected every major sector, with courts issuing substantial fines and, in some cases, custodial sentences for directors or individuals. These prosecutions highlight persistent failings in work-at-height controls, vehicle and machinery safety, risk assessment, maintenance and the protection of both workers and the public.

For organisations facing investigations or enforcement action, these cases underline the importance of early, specialist advice. Enforcement scrutiny can escalate quickly, and the consequences can be significant. Our criminal defence and regulatory teams support businesses, directors and senior managers through every stage, from incident response and enforcement notice compliance, to defending prosecutions, helping clients protect their position and navigate complex legal obligations.

JANUARY
 

Severe injuries in barn roof fall: Farm fined £133k

Dodwell Farm Limited of Bursledon was fined £133,000 following an incident where a man fell through a barn roof. The individual was left severely injured when the sloped roof he stood on to fix panels gave way, causing him to fall ten metres below.

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) investigation found Dodwell Farm had failed to implement appropriate safety precautions, such as barriers, netting and access equipment.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. HSE inspector, Nicola Pinckney, commented, “The sentence imposed on Dodwell Farm Limited should underline to everyone who carries out work at height that the courts, and HSE, take a failure to follow the regulations extremely seriously.”

According to HSE, accidents when working at heights – including falling from ladders and through fragile surfaces - continues to be one of the largest causes of fatalities and minor injuries.

Source: Farm fined £133k after man seriously injured from barn fall

 

FEBRUARY 

Death of Surbiton track worker: Network Rail fined £3.41m

An Office of Rail and Road (ORR) prosecution has led to a £3.41 million fine and an order to pay costs of £43,096.39 for Network Rail, after the death of track worker Tyler Robert Byrne on 9 February 2021.

The victim, part of a four-person team, was struck by a passenger train whilst inspecting the track. ORR’s investigation found that the team had no protection and lacked any adequate warning systems. 

This incident followed two previous Improvement Notices served on Network Rail by ORR in July 2019. The notices required implementation, prevention and protective measures to protect workers on or near the line. Although Network Rail had made some improvements, ORR noted that these changes “lacked urgency and pace”.

Network Rail pleaded guilty to a single breach of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.  

Source: Network Rail fined £3.41m following death of Surbiton track worker | Office of Rail and Road

 

Margam track worker deaths: Network Rail fined £3.75m

Network Rail was fined £3.75m and ordered to pay costs of £175,000 after two employees were killed after they were struck by a passing train, whilst working on railway tracks in Margam, Wales on 3 July 2019. Another employee on the track escaped death after they narrowly missed the train.

At the time of the incident, the three workers had been completing track maintenance work, but investigations by the ORR found “systematic and wide-ranging safety failures” by Network Rail which resulted inadequate processes and systems relating to worker safety. The employees were carrying out the work without site or distance lookout protection to warn them of oncoming trains and did not have a line block in place, which would have prevented trains travelling down their section of track.

Network Rail pleaded guilty to a single breach of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Since the incident, there have been fundamental changes to the way that Network Rail handle track worker safety, however subsequent incidents in Roade (2020) and Surbiton (2021) indicate that gaps remain.

Source: Network Rail fined £3.75m following Margam track worker deaths | Office of Rail and Road

 

Manufacturing firm fined £204,000

Novares Peterlee Limited were fined £204,000 plus costs after an employee suffered serious burns during an incident with an injection moulding machine.

The manufacturing company were served eight prohibition notices on 30 March 2022 during an inspection by the HSE. HSE inspectors had discovered several safety failings, including workers operating machinery at height with risk of falling.

During the same visit, inspectors discovered that an employee had suffered severe burns to his hands on 13 October 2021. During that incident, the worker found hardened plastic material on the end of an injection moulding machine he was using and having turned the machine to manual, he entered the machine to remove the material. On doing so he was faced with molten nylon being ejected from the machine at 260-300C, burning him on the hands and chest.

The HSE found that the employee had not received formal training on safe execution of the task and was not wearing suitable PPE. The HSE concluded that the company’s safe system of work was inadequate for dealing with the task.

Novares Peterlee Limited pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and regulation 12(1) of the Provisions and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Source: Manufacturing firm fined after worker sustains serious burns – HSE Media Centre

 

Snowdome Tobogganing death: Indoor ski company fined £100,000

Snowdome Limited, in Tamworth, Staffordshire, were fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,534 after a child was killed on their site.

The child had been attending a friend’s birthday party on 24 September 2021, when the toboggan he was riding on slid into the back of a staff member on the slope. The staff member fell backwards onto the child, who died at the scene from head injuries.

A subsequent HSE investigation found that Snowdome had failed to ensure the safety of customers whilst tobogganing at the venue. A senior enforcement lawyer for the HSE commented that the venue had failed to adequately assess and control the risks associated with tobogganing activities, noting that venues must ensure that “sufficient safe systems of work, information, instructions, training and supervision” are in place.  

The company pleaded guilty to breading section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Source: Skiing company fined after boy was killed at friend’s birthday party – HSE Media Centre

 

MARCH

Machinery safety breaches lead to £566,00 fine for AB Agri Limited

AB Agri Limited was fined £566,000 (and ordered to pay £6,410 in costs) after pleading guilty to an offence under section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The case followed an incident at the company’s Fridaythorpe site in East Yorkshire on 3 November 2021 when Bartosz Gaj, a blender operative, had his right arm severed below the elbow after becoming entangled in a conveyor while clearing a blockage. Mr Gaj had only been employed for a few months and was unable to return to work for over two years, requiring major adjustments to his daily life.

An HSE investigation revealed:

• The conveyor, installed months earlier, was prone to blockages and lacked adequate risk controls.
• Operatives routinely cleared blockages themselves without proper training in isolation procedures.
• No review of the risk assessment was carried out when the new conveyor was installed.
• There was no system to ensure guards and safety features were in place before use.

HSE guidance requires effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery and proper isolation before interventions. Employees should also be adequately trained in these procedures.

HSE inspector Sally Gay stated: “The life-changing injury Mr Gaj suffered could so easily have been avoided by properly assessing the risks and applying the correct control measures and safe working practices”.

Source: Animal feed manufacturer fined after employee’s arm severed – HSE Media Centre

 

APRIL

Guided Busway safety failings: Cambridgeshire County Council fined £6m

Cambridgeshire County Council were fined £6m (and ordered to pay £292,460.90 in costs) after pleading guilty to two offences under section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc 1974 Act.

The Council were found guilty after several instances of failing to protect the public both at crossing points and whilst travelling along its Guided Busway, which resulted in three deaths and “multiple injuries” over a period of ten years. These included:

1. The death of Jennifer Taylor, who died at the scene after being struck by a bus in November 2015. Mrs Taylor had attempted to cross at a designated crossing, but due to a lack of lighting, Mrs Taylor was not visible to the bus driver.
2. Steve Moir, who was killed in September 2018 after his bike struck a kerb, causing him to fall into the path of an oncoming bus.
3. A twelve-year-old cyclist suffered serious injuries and hospital treatment after they were struck by a bus when attempting to cross the Busway in May 2019.
4. Kathleen Pitts, who lost her life in October 2021 after she was struck and killed by a passing bus whilst she was sat next to the southern section of the Busway.
5. A sixteen-year-old cyclist was left with life changing injuries after being struck at a designated crossing in November 2021, mere weeks after Ms Pitt’s death.

An HSE investigation found that the Council did not conduct a risk assessment until five years after the Guided Busway had first opened, despite the first fatality one year earlier. Further, in spite of being served with two Improvement Notices, the HSE found that the Council failed to adequately manage the Busway’s safety until late 2021.

The case highlighted that the Busway was missing basic safety measures, including lighting at some crossing points, appropriate speed limits for buses, and other measures to separate pedestrians and cyclists from passing buses.

Sources: Council fined for multiple failures on Guided Busway – HSE Media Centre

 

Gross Negligence Manslaughter: Paddleboard tour leader jailed over four deaths

Nerys Lloyd, of Salty Dog Co Ltd, was jailed for ten years and six months after pleading guilty to four charges of gross negligence manslaughter after paddleboarder clients died in October 2021.

Paul O’Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers and Nicola Wheatley died whilst being led by Lloyd on a paddleboard excursion. Despite heavy flooding and severe weather warnings, Lloyd failed to check the weir or provide safety briefings to the participants. The paddleboarders were subjected to “extremely hazardous conditions” and a fast-flowing river. Approaching the weir, all participants were pulled over the top and became trapped before being ejected from the weir.

Despite Lloyd re-entering the water to attempt to rescue the others, she was dragged over the top of the weir herself and all four victims died as a result of drowning.

The HSE and Dyfed-Powys Police found that Lloyd “was not correctly qualified” to lead a paddleboard river tour. She admitted to all four offences of gross negligence manslaughter on 5 March 2025, as well as one offence under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Sources: Paddleboard tour leader jailed over deaths of four people – HSE Media Centre

 

Man shot on MoD range: Defence company fined £800,000

Defence company, QinetiQ Limited, was fined £800,000 after pleading guilty to one offence under section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The fine related to an incident in March 2021, when an employee was shot during ammunition testing at a Ministry of Defence range in South Wales. The employee was in front of the range after being asked to check the impact of bullets on a metal target, when he was shot by a 5.56mm bullet fired from a gun 570 metres away.    

The victim was left paralysed below the shoulders, with an HSE principal specialist inspector commenting, “His life and those of his wife and children have been devastated by the severe injuries he has suffered”.

An HSE inspection found that QinetiQ had failed to risk assess the trial activity and were lacking the adequate precautions to ensure no one was near the target when the shots were fired. 

Sources: Defence company fined £800,000 after man shot on MoD range – HSE Media Centre

 

Uncontrolled acid released: Company fined £2.5 million

Industrial Chemicals Ltd were fined £2.5 million (and ordered to pay a further £100,000 in costs) after two separate instances of uncontrolled releases of highly corrosive acids in 2020.

The first incident occurred on 6 January 2020 when three hundred thousand litres of hydrochloric acid was released from three chemical storage tanks through poorly maintained pipes. The gas created a hydrogen chloride gas cloud which spread to nearby towns for 24 hours. Local businesses and schools were advised to close due to the risk of exposure to the toxic fumes.

In relation to the first incident, Industrial Chemicals Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for the “loss of containment of hydrochloric acid”. The company also pleaded guilty to two offences contrary to regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, for failing to take appropriate measures to “minimise the risk of unauthorised acid fumes to air and land with the potential to impact receptors offsite including the local community”.

The second incident, on 29 August 2020, saw sulphuric acid being released uncontrollably through a cracked pipe. 87 cubic metres of sulphuric acid was released into the atmosphere. A valve that was supposed to control leaks did not operate as intended, and the leak continued for two days.

In relation to the second incident, Industrial Chemicals Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

A subsequent HSE investigation found that poor installation and maintenance of pipework had caused the January 2020 incident, along with failure to apply a protective chemical-resistant coating. The lack of inspection and maintenance of pipework and valves were found to have led to the August incident. 

Enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells, who brought the HSE prosecution, said that the company’s poor track record of health and safety standards was treated as an aggravating factor in uplifting the sentence imposed.

Sources: Company fined £2.5m following uncontrolled acid releases – HSE Media Centre

 

MAY

Worker injured at Heathrow Airport: British Airways fined more than £3m

British Airways were fined over £3.2m after pleading guilty to two offences under regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

The convictions related to two separate instances in 2022 and 2024 where employees fell from a height at Terminal 5 whilst unloading baggage containers.

In the first incident, on 25 August 2022, an employee slipped off a televator (aircraft baggage loaders) and landed on the ground 1.5 metres below causing serious head and back injuries and a fractured vertebra.

During the second incident, on 8 March 2023, another luggage handler suffered from a fractured jaw, head injuries and bleeding on the brain after falling three metres to the ground below.

The HSE investigation following each incident found that:

• There were gaps between the televator’s guardrails and the aircraft fuselage, which created a fall from height hazard.
• These gaps had increased in size following extension of televator platforms, but additional safety measures had not been implemented.
• In the second case, the televator's operator platform had not been extended fully, leaving a gap between the platform and the aircraft, which employees could fall through.

They HSE enforcement officer dealing with the case said that both employees were fortunate to be alive after sustaining such serious injuries.

Sources: British Airways fined more than £3million following worker injuries at Heathrow – HSE Media Centre

 

Shift worker death: Yorkshire company fined over £500,000

East Riding Sacks Ltd, of North Yorkshire, was fined £533,000 plus costs after pleading guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974. The fine came after a night shift worker fell to his death on 11 February 2023.

Worker Mark Pinder had been standing on stationary metal rollers in an attempt to fix a blockage, when part of the machine got activated. Mr Pinder was subsequently struck by the machine, lost his footing, and fell three metres to the factory floor below. Mr Pinder died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

A subsequent HSE investigation found that East Riding Sacks had “failed to provide a robust safe system of work” or implement appropriate measures to identify the risk of falling from height. Further investigations found that workers had been routinely clearing blockages themselves, climbing over equipment handrails and walking on the conveyor belt as a shortcut, rather than walking around – a pattern that management had been unaware of.

Under HSE guidance, employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery and to avoid work at height where possible.

Sources: Firm fined more than £500,000 after shift worker fell to his death – HSE Media Centre

 

Employee dies after falling through roof: Cladding company fined £225,000

Cladding company Camclad Contractors Limited was fined £225,000 after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

Dominic Lakeman-Pettit, a director of the company, also pleaded guilty to breaching section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Mr Lakeman-Pettit was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for up to 12 months, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

The fines followed the death of a worker who fell through a fragile roof whilst attempting to replace damaged cladding. The HSE found that work had only been planned from photographs, with no site visit to evaluate the project. The cherry picker hired did not reach all parts of the structure, forcing workers to leave the cherry picker and stand on boards to reach the roof. During this process, the employee slipped and fell through the roof, landing on the concrete floor below.

Sources: Fine for company and director after employee dies from fall through roof – HSE Media Centre

 

JUNE

NHS Foundation Trust mental health death: Mental health trust & manager cleared of corporate and gross negligence manslaughter charges

Following our earlier article (here), the Northeast London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), and hospital ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa were found not guilty of corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter, respectively, after a woman took her own life at Goodmayes Hospital, but convicted of numerous Health and Safety charges under sections 3(1), 7(1) and 33(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The patient, Ms Figueiredo had struggled with mental health issues, having been diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder and an eating disorder. Ms Figueiredo was admitted to the Hepworth Ward – an acute psychiatric unit – in February 2015. During her five months there, she had attempted to kill or harm herself 39 times, including 18 attempts with plastic bags.

On 7 July 2015, Ms Figueiredo killed herself using a plastic bag taken from a communal toilet on the ward. Mr Aninakwa was accused of failing to remove items that Ms Figueiredo use for self-harm, and for failing to ensure any self-harm incidents were “recorded, considered and addressed”.

Ms Figueiredo’s family had visited her often, and her parents had raised numerous concerns about her care, with her mother writing to managers, “It is only a matter of time before there is a fatality on this ward”.

The seven-month trial began at the Central Criminal Court in October 2024 and marked the first prosecution of an NHS Mental Health Trust on charges of corporate manslaughter. After the jury deliberated for 24 days – the joint longest deliberation in English legal history – the NHS Trust and ward manager were both acquitted of both manslaughter charges but convicted of health and safety failings.

• NELFT was convicted for breaching sections 3(1) and 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety Act for failing to ensure the safety of non-employees.
• Former ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa was convicted for breaching sections 7(1) and 33(1) of the Health and Safety Act for failing to take reasonable care for health and safety.  

Sources:

1. Trust and manager cleared of manslaughter | News | Health Service Journal
2. NHS trust and ward manager found not guilty of manslaughter after woman took her own life at hospital | UK News | Sky News
3. NHS Trust Acquitted of Corporate Manslaughter - Crown Office Chambers

 

Teenage apprentice injured in stairwell collapse: housebuilder fined £800,000

Housebuilding company Taylor Wimpey was fined £800,000 and ordered to pay costs after pleading guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The fine related to an incident on 22 August 2022, when a 17-year-old apprentice bricklayer fell over two metres to the ground through a temporary stairwell covering. Charlie Marsh, less than 12-months into his career, had been stacking concrete blocks on and around a temporary stairwell covering when it collapsed. Marsh suffered injuries to his fingers, hand, wrist and shoulder, and was “lucky to escape more serious injury”.

The HSE investigation found that the joists under the timber material should have been “back propped”, something mentioned numerous times in the Taylor Wimpey Health and Safety manual.

In failing to take all practicable steps to prevent danger from structural collapses, the incident failed to meet HSE guidance. L153 – Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 states that employers have a duty to ensure that contractors under their control should not be exposed to risks of their health or safety. 

Sources:

1. Taylor Wimpey fined £800,000 after teen apprentice injured on site

 

JULY

Worker killed by reversing HGV: Grocery wholesaler fined £1 million

Grocery wholesaler Bestway Northern Limited was fined £1 million after a fatal workplace accident in Manchester on 19 February 2019. The incident involved Lee Warburton, 53, who was crushed between a reversing HGV and a wall while acting as a banksman during a delivery.

An HSE investigation found the company breached its statutory duties by failing to implement a safe system of work for vehicle movements, neglecting risk assessments, and providing inadequate training for staff. HSE inspector Jane Carroll stated that nearly a quarter of all deaths involving workplace transport occur during reversing.

Bestway Northern Limited pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. On 18 July 2025, Manchester Magistrates’ Court imposed a fine of £1 million and ordered the company to pay £11,950.07 in costs.  

Source: Grocery wholesaler fined £1 million after worker killed by reversing HGV – HSE Media Centre

 

Construction firm fire safety precaution failures: fined £165,000

An Altrincham-based construction company was fined £165,000 after it repeatedly failed to put in place suitable fire precautions during a renovation project in Preston.

Glovers Court Ltd were found guilty of four offences in relation to the redevelopment of a former city centre warehouse into 35 apartments spread across six floors. The Glovers Court project was under construction on 16 May 2023 when it was visited by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS). A number of fire safety issues were identified and LFRS prohibited the use of the building, forcing residents to move out.  As construction work was still ongoing, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and the HSE worked in multi-agency collaboration to deal with the premises.

An HSE inspector then visited the site, finding that the company were not complying with its duty to ensure suitable fire safety precautions during ongoing construction work. Those failures included:

• No fire detection system;
• No means of raising the alarm in case of a fire;
• Inadequate escape plans; and
• Construction work had not been phased to ensure fire compartmentation was maintained throughout the project to prevent fire spreading to all floors.

The HSE served a prohibition notice on Glovers Court Ltd, which stopped all further work on the property until adequate fire precautions were in place. The HSE also served an improvement notice requiring the company to design and implement a fire management plan.

However, during further visits in June and November 2023, the HSE found construction work had been ongoing while no action had been taken to comply with either of the notices.

Glovers Court Ltd, of Kingsway, Altrincham, Cheshire, who have now gone into liquidation, were found guilty of breaching:

• s.33(1)(c) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 by virtue of breaching Reg 11(1) CDM 2015
• s.33(1)(c) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974by virtue of breaching Reg 13(1) CDM 2015
• Two counts of s.33(1)(g) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

The company was found guilty in their absence following a trial at Preston Magistrates’ Court on 26 June 2025. They were fined £165,000 and ordered to pay £10,512 in costs.

Sources: Construction firm fined for ignoring fire safety during works – HSE Media Centre

 

Contractor crushed whilst fixing hydraulic leak: Tata Steel fined £1.5 million

Tata Steel (UK) Ltd was convicted following a fatal accident on 25 September 2019, during which contractor Justin Day was killed at the Port Talbot steelworks. Mr Day was repairing a hydraulic leak on a conveyor system and whilst parts of the machinery were isolated, other components remained active. When Mr Day entered the system from above, sensors triggered a moving beam that fatally crushed him.

An HSE investigation identified serious failings, including inadequate isolation procedures and poor management of the repair work.

Tata Steel was entered a guilty plea to breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. On 31 July 2025, Swansea Crown Court imposed a fine of £1.5 million and ordered Tata Steel to pay £26,318.67 in costs.

Sources: TATA Steel fined £1.5 million after father-of-three crushed to death at Port Talbot plant – HSE Media Centre

 

OCTOBER

Worker crushed by skip wagon: Waste company fined £2.48 million

Biffa Waste Services Ltd was fined after employee James Tabiri was fatally struck by a reversing skip wagon at the company’s Bradford waste transfer site.

Mr Tabiri was walking across the weighbridge towards the site office on 10 August 2023 when the vehicle reversed over him, causing fatal crush injuries.

An HSE investigation found that Biffa had failed to adequately review and monitor pedestrian‑vehicle separation measures, leaving workers exposed to foreseeable risks from moving vehicles. The investigation highlighted insufficient control systems and a lack of effective oversight to ensure pedestrian safety in high‑traffic areas.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and was fined £2.48 million, with additional prosecution costs of £5,768.06.

For further analysis of increased criminal and regulatory enforcement faced by waste management companies, see our article here.

Sources: Biffa fined almost £2.5 million after worker crushed by skip wagon – HSE Media Centre

 

Death from reversing road-sweeper: Construction company fined £546,000

A construction company that specialises in road resurfacing in London was fined £546,000 after one of its employees was killed by a reversing road-sweeper.

Robert Morris was working on the resurfacing of Pemberton Road in Haringey for Marlborough Highways Limited on 30 May 2022. A colleague was at the wheel of the vehicle and Robert was struck while it was reversing.

A joint investigation was launched between the HSE and the Metropolitan Police. This resulted in a separate prosecution of the driver, Jamie Smith, for an offence of causing death by careless driving. Mr Smith pleaded guilty in February 2024 and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. Mr Smith was also disqualified from driving for a year.

The HSE investigation identified a number of failings by Marlborough Highways Limited. First there was no segregation between people and moving vehicles on site and a banksman was not used when the road sweeper reversed and struck Mr Morris. The traffic management systems in place at the site were found to be inadequate and unsafe, placing employees and members of the public at risk of serious injury and death.

The majority of construction transport accidents result from the inadequate segregation of pedestrians and vehicles. This can usually be avoided by careful planning, particularly at the design stage, and by controlling vehicle operations during construction work.

Marlborough Highways Limited pleaded guilty to an offence under sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. On 3 October 2025, the company was fined £546,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,028.

Sources: Construction company fined £546,000 following death of employee – HSE Media Centre

 

Passenger death after being struck by tree branch: Railway company fined £1 million

First Great Western Limited was fined after a passenger died from head injuries.

Bethan Roper died on 1 December 2018 when she was struck by a tree branch while leaning from a droplight window on a train travelling between Bath and London.

An investigation by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) found that the rail company had failed to properly assess and control the well‑known risks associated with droplight windows, despite previous similar incidents.

The company had delayed producing a formal written risk assessment and had not implemented key safety measures that could have prevented passengers from leaning out of windows.

First Great Western Limited pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and regulation 19(1) of the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006. It was fined £1 million, with costs of £78,444.19 ordered.

Source: Great Western Railway fined £1m following fatal 2018 droplight window incident | Office of Rail and Road

 

NOVEMBER

Plastic conversion machine fatality: Packaging firm fined £277,500

Reflex Flexible Packaging Ltd was fined £277,500 after an employee, Mr Paul Whalley, 46, was killed when he became trapped in the moving parts of an unguarded plastic conversion machine.

On 29 May 2020, Mr Whalley entered an opening in the side of the machine that allowed whole‑body access to dangerous mechanisms. He was pulled into the unguarded moving parts and died at the scene from crush asphyxia, despite emergency services cutting conveyor belts and rollers to free him.

An HSE investigation found that the company had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and had not installed appropriate guarding or safe systems of work. There were no written isolation procedures, and the company had ignored internal warnings about missing risk assessments 18 months earlier.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was ordered to pay costs of £20,000.

Sources: Plastics firm fined following fatal machinery accident – HSE Media Centre

 

Employee death whilst moving metal frames: Haulage company fined £250k

Ward Bros (Malton) Ltd has been fined after employee Gary Lee James died while carrying out a “devanning” task inside a shipping container at the company’s South Bank yard in Middlesbrough.

On 8 January 2019, Mr James and a colleague were standing up metal frames weighing around 120kg each. As they lifted the sixth frame, the fifth fell backwards, followed by four others, pinning Mr James by the neck against the container wall. He suffered a cardiac arrest and died three days later in hospital.

An HSE investigation found that the frames had not been secured and that the company had failed to ensure employees’ health and safety during container devanning. Although the company had never undertaken this type of work before, it did not produce a suitable and sufficient written risk assessment or establish a safe system of work. Instead, employees were left to devise their own methods with little supervision, resulting in an unsafe, ad‑hoc approach.

Ward Bros (Malton) Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £250,000.

Sources: Haulage company fined £250,000 following death of employee – HSE Media Centre

 

Employee crushed by 592kg pallet: Manufacturing company fined £600k

Systagenix Wound Management Manufacturing Ltd, trading as Scapa Healthcare, were fined £600,000 after an employee was fatally injured at the company’s Airedale Mills site in Gargrave.

On 21 September 2020, Tony Snowden was trapped when a 592kg pallet, stacked on top of another pallet, fell and crushed him against a wall ledge. Colleagues were unable to lift the pallet due to its weight and had to unload it piece by piece before it could be removed. However, sadly, Mr Snowden had already died from his injuries.

An HSE investigation found that the company had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for pallet storage, including consideration of load, height, weight and stability. Three‑legged pallets were being stacked vertically at floor level without racking systems, despite this being unsafe. The company also failed to prevent double‑stacking, did not provide adequate training on pallet‑handling procedures, and lacked effective monitoring and supervision in the storage area.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Costs of £15,000 were ordered.

Sources: Manufacturing company fined £600k after fatal workplace incident – HSE Media Centre

 

Dangerous machinery injuries: Animal feed manufacturers fined £500k

Animal Feed manufacturing company William Thompson (York) Limited was fined £500,000 after a supervisor at a Jubilee Mill site in York suffered life‑changing injuries when his foot became trapped in dangerous machinery.

On 14 November 2023, the worker was attempting to resolve a maintenance issue on a pressing machine when he was able to open it while internal parts were still operating at high speed. His foot slipped through inadequate guarding and became entangled in a rotating auger, resulting in the loss of part of his foot and a six‑week stay in hospital.

An investigation by the HSE found that the company had failed to prevent access to dangerous moving parts and had not carried out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the task. CCTV footage showed that only two bars of guarding were in place above the auger, allowing a person’s foot to reach the blade below. HSE highlighted that effective guarding, fixed or interlocked, is essential to prevent such incidents, particularly during maintenance.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Costs of £4,455 were ordered.

Sources: Animal feed manufacturer fined £500,000 after worker seriously injured – HSE Media Centre

 

Employee leg amputation: stove manufacturer fined £200,000

A wood-burning stone manufacturer on the Isle of Wight was fined £200,000 after an employee accident ended in amputation.

The man was working for A J Wells & Sons Ltd in Newport, when the incident happened on 15 August 2023. He had been moving a trolley loaded with approximately 30 pieces of sheet metal, each weighing more than 20kg, when it toppled over and fell onto his legs. His lower right leg was later amputated as a result of the injuries he sustained.

An investigation by the HSE found that the work was not being carried out safely. Failures included the use of a trolley that was not suitable for transporting such loads, unclear routes throughout the factory for moving trolleys, and inadequate training for employees in the safe movement of heavy materials.

The HSE also identified that a similar incident had occurred in November 2021, yet the task of moving heavy sheet metal had still not been adequately risk assessed. As a result, a safe system of work had not been introduced. Had appropriate changes been made following the earlier incident, this life-changing injury could have been prevented.

The company pleaded guilty to one offence contrary to section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and ordered to pay £9,056 in prosecution costs at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court on 25 November 2025.

Sources: Stove manufacturer fined £200,000 after employee loses leg – HSE Media Centre

 

DECEMBER

Forklift truck fatality: Plant company fined £433,550 after employee death

Hessle Plant Ltd was fined £433,550 after delivery driver Chris Keegan was fatally injured while attempting to load a forklift truck onto a trailer at Castleford depot.

On 20 November 2023, Mr Keegan was reversing the forklift onto a trailer when it fell from the trailer bed. Mr Keegan was thrown from the seat and became trapped between the forklift chassis and a neighbouring trailer. Despite emergency services’ efforts, he sadly died at the scene.

An HSE investigation found that the forklift had not undergone a full safety inspection following transmission repairs, and several defects were later identified. The company routinely carried out full pre‑delivery inspections for new customers but failed to do so for machines returned to existing customers. The HSE also found widespread non‑use of seatbelts among employees and no system for monitoring or enforcing seatbelt compliance.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was ordered to pay £8,146.80 in costs in addition to the fine.

Sources: Wonderful, kind and generous man” killed in forklift truck incident – HSE Media Centre

 

2026: LOOKING AHEAD

2026 is shaping up to be another significant year for health and safety law. Businesses will need to demonstrate robust governance and proactive risk management to avoid significant penalties. A number of issues to monitor are outlined below. 

The HSE’s 2025–26 Business Plan commits to delivering 14,000 proactive inspections, continuing the targeted campaigns launched in 2025. These inspections will focus on asbestos, hazardous dust, noise, musculoskeletal disorders, and occupational health risks such as lung disease, radiation exposure, and work-related stress. Mental health and psychosocial risks are also gaining prominence, with regulators expecting employers to treat these hazards with the same rigour as physical risks.

Building safety remains firmly in the spotlight. The Building Safety Regulator has transitioned to an independent body under Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) oversight at the end of January 2026. With new requirements taking effect later in the year: from 30 September, residential buildings over 18 metres must have two escape staircases, and from 1 October, the Building Safety Levy will apply to most new dwellings. Supreme Court appeals under the Building Safety Act 2022 will be heard this year and are expected to clarify the extent of liability under the Act. 

There are several notable Corporate Manslaughter cases to watch in 2026, including:

CPS authorises manslaughter charges following death of Paralympic Athlete

UK Athletics (UKA) and former UKA Head of Sport have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the death of former UAE Paralympic Athlete Abdullah Hayayei. UKA are facing corporate manslaughter charges, with allegations that senior management’s conduct “fell far below what could be reasonably expected”.

Former head of sport at UKA, Keith Davies, has been accused of a “gross breach of duty of care” and has pleaded not guilty to failing to take reasonable care for Health and Safety.

Hayayei, a Paralympian specialising in discus, shot put and javelin, died on 11 July 2017, when training at Newham Leisure Centre. The metal shot put cage fell on him during his training for the World Para Athletics Championships. Prosecutors allege the cage he had been using had been erected without its essential base structure. It comes after accusations that UKA had failed, on multiple occasions between October 2017 and July 2017, to provide safe athletics equipment.

The trial is scheduled for 12 October 2026 at the Old Bailey and is expected to last eight weeks. 

Sources: 

1. CPS authorises manslaughter charges following death of Paralympic athlete | The Crown Prosecution Service
2. UK Athletics denies manslaughter of Paralympian Abdullah Hayayei - BBC News

 

Pontins Brean Sands – Corporate Manslaughter Charges

The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised corporate manslaughter charges against Britannia Jinky Jersey Ltd, the operator of Pontins, following the death of Wendy Jones in August 2019.

She was killed, and 17 others injured, when part of the ceiling and air‑conditioning ducting collapsed during a bingo event at Brean Sands Holiday Park.

Contractor Stephen Bennison has also been charged under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Both defendants appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 6 May 2025. The company faces an unlimited fine if convicted of corporate manslaughter, while Bennison faces up to two years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine for the health and safety offence.

Sources:

1. Corporate manslaughter charges brought against Pontins - Lexology
2. Corporate manslaughter charges brought against Pontins - Burges Salmon
3. Update on investigation into incident at Pontins Brean Sands in 2019 | Avon and Somerset Police

 

Manslaughter charges authorised following death of a woman killed by falling bricks in East London.

Construction company Higgins Homes and four of their construction workers have been charged in relation to the death of a woman in Bethnal Green in 2018.

The incident happened as the victim was walking home after dropping her young son at school. She was struck by a two-tonne pallet of bricks that fell from a tower crane on the Higgins Homes construction site. The woman died from her injures two days later.

The company is accused of corporate manslaughter and failing to discharge a duty under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Two defendants, a site manager and the allegedly responsible for the lifting plan, are charged with gross negligence manslaughter and a breach of duty under Section 7(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The other two defendants, a crane supervisor and crane operator, have been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and a breach of duty under Section 3(1) of the same act.

The maximum sentence for gross negligence manslaughter is life imprisonment.

The company and four other defendants attended a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on 16 June 2025 and indicated they intend to plead not guilty. District Judge Briony Clarke sent the case to the Old Bailey, where the defendants appeared for a plea and case management hearing before Judge Anthony Leonard KC on 7 November 2025.

The trial is scheduled for 1 October 2026. 

Sources:

1. Manslaughter charges authorised following death of woman killed by falling bricks in east London | The Crown Prosecution Service
2. Trial set for Hemel man after woman killed by falling bricks | Watford Observer
3. Michaela Boor death: Developer denies manslaughter | The Comet

 

There are also developments to expect in fire safety reform. A government consultation in early 2026 will propose mandatory competency standards for fire risk assessors, raising professional and documentation requirements. Separately, following findings from the Grenfell Inquiry, the Government is consulting on the proposal for a single regulator that draws together functions relating to the construction industry. The consultation is open until March. The proposed changes intend to reduce fragmentation in how the sector is regulated and drive culture change in the industry.

Sources: BSR becomes standalone body in landmark step towards single construction regulator - GOV.UK

If you need advice on preparing for these changes, please contact our specialist Health and Safety team at Kingsley Napley LLP: Health, Safety and Environment | Lawyers, Solicitors London

With thanks to Isabel Holt, Zoe Beels and Harriet Kirsopp for their assistance in preparing this newsletter.

About the author

Sophie Wood is a Partner in the Criminal Litigation team with extensive experience in advising corporate and individual clients involved in a wide range of internal, criminal and regulatory investigations. Sophie has acted for individuals and companies involved in investigations brought by the Environment Agency, Health and Safety Executive and local authorities, and is a member of the firm’s cross-practice Health, Safety and Environment Group.