Aggregates firm fined £24k after worker dies from crush injuries
Summary
Gill Aggregates has been fined after a worker died from crush injuries caused by access to dangerous moving parts on a bag-flattening conveyor system at its Dagenham depot. The Health and Safety Executive found that inadequate guarding allowed the worker to be drawn into the machinery, leading to a prosecution under machinery safety regulations.
Why it matters
The case is a reminder of the legal and practical importance of effective machine guarding in industrial and construction-related premises. Surveyors inspecting commercial, industrial or mixed-use sites may encounter similar equipment and should be alert to obvious guarding defects and associated safety risks.
Key points
- A production operative died after being drawn into a compression conveyor at a Dagenham depot.
- HSE found the fixed guard had an opening that allowed access to dangerous moving parts.
- Gill Aggregates pleaded guilty to breaching PUWER Regulation 11(1).
- The company was fined £24,000 and ordered to pay £43,000 in costs.
- Further guarding was installed after the incident to prevent access to the machinery.
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