Worker crushed to death while trying to move machine, company fined £80K

Worker crushed to death while trying to move machine, company fined £80K

Jan. 6, 2025
The incident occurred in November 2021 when two workers were attempting to move a large cutting press machine across a workshop floor.

An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, has determined that Partwell Special Steels Limited could have prevented the death of Connor Borthwick, a 22-year-old worker at the company’s site in Bruce Street. The incident occurred in November 2021 when Connor and another worker were attempting to move a large cutting press machine across a workshop floor. Connor and his coworker were trying to move the machine using skates placed beneath it. Unfortunately, the machine became unbalanced as it was being lowered by a jack onto one of the skates and fell backwards onto Connor. The young worker suffered severe crush injuries and ultimately passed away. 

After conducting its investigation, the HSE learned that Partwell Special Steels Limited had not assessed the risks involved with moving the machine, the task had not been suitably planned, and no safe system of work had been provided to the employees. The HSE also determined that neither employee had received suitable and sufficient training to ensure they had the necessary relevant competence to undertake the task.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were fined £80,000 and was ordered to pay £6,713 in costs at a hearing at Preston Magistrates Court on 16 December 2024.

What people are saying

In a recent quote, HSE Inspector Anthony Banks said, “This company’s failures resulted in the death of a much loved young man. Those in control of work activities, including the movement of heavy machinery from one part of a site to another, need to assess the risks of that work, and plan a safe way to undertake it. This tragic incident could have easily been avoided with the right controls in place.”

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About the Author

Alexis Gajewski | Senior Content Strategist

Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector. 

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