HSE | A company and its operations manager have both been fined after a man fell to his death through a roof at its site in Dudley.

Maciej Rozanski, who was 42, had been working to remove a redundant steel cleaning machine from the company’s Sovereign Works site on Deepdale Lane, on 29 June 2018. However, during the work, Mr Rozanski stepped onto a fragile roof and fell more than 20 feet to the floor below. He suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Surface Technik (Old Hill) Limited, which is now in liquidation, was found guilty following a trial, while Robert Hammond had already entered a guilty plea, but disputed he was responsible for health and safety at the site.

The prosecution was brought following an investigation by the HSE, which found that the company began the work to remove the machinery in December 2017 and that project was led by Robert Hammond. The steel cleaning machine was housed in a corrugated steel tower on the side of the main production building which required partial dismantling in order to remove the machine. On the day of the incident, Mr Rozanski and another employee were tasked with the dismantling works. Once at the top of the tower they used an angle grinder to remove bolts holding the corrugated steel plates in place. It was during this activity that Mr Rozanski fell to his death.

There was no suitable and sufficient risk assessment made for the work at height activities. The work to remove corrugated steel sheets from the disused tower was carried out at height, near to a fragile roof surface without suitable access equipment or safe working practices. The work was not properly organised, planned, appropriately supervised or carried out in a safe manner and the employees were not trained for working at height when the incident occurred.

Surface Technik (Old Hill) Limited formerly of Deepdale Lane, Dudley was found guilty by a jury of a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and fined £90,000 with costs £28,956.

Robert Hammond of Sutton Coldfield accepted that he did not take reasonable care for the health and safety of both employees when he pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Mr Hammond was fined £8,500 and ordered to pay the same amount in costs.

“Working from height remains a leading cause of workplace death and injury. This case highlights the risks of working at height from or near to fragile roof surfaces and the importance of a risk assessment, proper planning, training and supervision of work at height and the use of suitable access equipment to ensure that the work can be carried out safely. It also demonstrates that placing a company into liquidation is no bar to prosecution.”

— HSE inspector Sarah Smewin

FSM | A company director has been prosecuted after pleading guilty to significant breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Ms Yuting Zhuo was successfully prosecuted by the West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service for breaching six charges under the Fire Safety Order.

Zhuo was company director of the Dragon and Peacock Chinese takeaway restaurant in Burgess Hill at the time the premises experienced a fire, caused by a faulty electrical supply, back in September 2023.

Four people were led to safety by firefighters after a member of the public made the 999 call. The rear of the building was significantly damaged.

At the hearing, it was established that Zhuo’s failings had led to an increased risk of death and serious injury to those residing at the premises. It was also unanimously agreed that those inside the building were fortunate that a member of the public notified West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service of the incident.

Zhuo was ordered to pay a total of £9,157.37, including prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.

“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this case and believe it serves as a strong reminder to business owners – particularly so where sleeping accommodation is provided above commercial premises – that they must ensure those people are able to be alerted to the presence of fire and have suitable escape routes to safely and quickly evacuate the building. It’s only through luck that this fire did not have far more sinister consequences. Duty holders are reminded that the Fire Safety Order is in place to protect life in the event of a fire. As such, the highest sanctions possible will be sought where these failings endanger the lives of residents and visitors to West Sussex.”

— Area manager Dave Bray, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service

Southwark Council | Southwark Council has prosecuted the owners of Spice N Nice bakery for breaching health and safety regulations.

The case was heard at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 3 March 2025, culminating in the defendants, Mark Scott and Dezrene Judith Clarke, pleading guilty to breaches to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The court imposed fines of £1,200 each, along with a £480 legal surcharge and £1,500 in costs. The prosecution resulted from a series of inspections that uncovered serious safety concerns at the bakery, located at 8A Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London.

The council’s environmental health team visited the bakery on 9 July 2024 following a referral from the council’s Food Safety Team regarding an unsafe cooking appliance and dangerous electrics. The investigation revealed the use of a liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cooking appliance inside the bakery, along with large amounts of stored bottled gas, which did not comply with safety standards. The owners had previously been instructed to stop using the equipment by another council enforcement officer 18 months earlier.

Concerns were raised about the unsafe gas cooking appliance which posed a fire and explosion risk, endangering both customers and the residents living in the accommodation above the bakery. Additionally, the council identified dangerous electrical sockets that could pose a significant hazard to staff and patrons. Despite previous warnings, the proprietors failed to take corrective action to make the premises safe, leading to legal proceedings by the council.

“This conviction sends a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses that neglect the safety of their employees and customers. Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations is paramount, and we will take decisive action against those who fail in this duty. The safety of our residents is our top priority, and we will continue to enforce the law to protect them. It is critically important that gas appliances are installed correctly and undergo an annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Additionally, all electrics must be safely maintained and should be tested and inspected by a competent electrician every five years in commercial premises.”

— Councillor Natasha Ennin, Southwark Council

WorkSafe Victoria | A hydraulics company, with locations throughout the UK, has been fined after an employee became trapped in a machine that he was working on at a customer’s premises in Plymouth.

David Lawrence, a 63-year-old engineer, was undertaking fault finding on a laser cutting machine for Pearson Hydraulics Ltd on 26 July 2023 when the cutting bed of the machine dropped and trapped both of his legs. After spending five weeks in hospital, Mr Lawrence had his right leg amputated above the knee and now faces possible loss of his left leg.

The HSE’s investigation found that Pearson Hydraulics Ltd did not have a safe system of work in place for maintenance activities at customer premises. It failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, did not monitor or supervise the work, and did not adequately train Mr Lawrence in hydraulic systems on laser cutting machinery.

Pearson Hydraulics Ltd of Electric Avenue, Witham St Hughes, Lincoln pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £96,333 and ordered to pay £10,701 in costs.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided with the correct risk assessment and implementation of a safe working procedure. Pearson Hydraulics Ltd left its employees to work out their own methods of completing fault finding and maintenance tasks, instead of providing them with suitable training and supervision so it could be done safely every time.”

— HSE inspector Emma O’Hara

HSE | A.I.M Access Solutions Ltd has been fined £30,000 for failing to assemble safe scaffolding following an investigation by the HSE.

The HSE investigation was prompted after the death of A.I.M Access Solutions Ltd employee Robert Duffy, who sustained injuries on 20 May 2021 and died three days later. The firm pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £30,800 and ordered to pay £5,040.75 in costs.

“A.I.M Access Solutions Ltd did not ensure the tower scaffold was constructed correctly. The company failed to provide a safe way to get to and from the work platform, for example using an appropriately designed internal ladder. Companies should follow HSE guidance to ensure they effectively plan, manage and monitor similar construction work and reduce the risks to their employees.”

— HSE inspector Sam Eves

HSE | A farmer has been jailed after he failed to ensure the health and safety of his three-year-old son.

Albie Speakman died on 16 July 2022 after being run over by a telehandler driven by his father Neil Speakman on their farm. HSE and Greater Manchester Police found no segregated safe play area and that the telehandler was in poor condition and driven by an untrained user.

Neil Speakman pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was sentenced to 12 months in prison (six to serve) plus £2,000 in costs.

“This tragedy could easily have been avoided if our guidance was followed… Farms are workplaces, making provision of safe areas for children even more important.”

— HSE inspector Mike Lisle

An indoor skiing company in Tamworth has been fined £100,000 following the death of 12-year-old Louis Watkiss on 24 September 2021. Louis was struck by a staff member on a tobogganing slope.

The HSE found no suitable risk assessment, system of work, or supervision for tobogganing activities. Snowdome Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £100,000 with £14,534 costs.

“Louis’s death could have been prevented if the company had adequately assessed and controlled the risks associated with tobogganing activities… Our thoughts remain with Louis’ family.”

— Nathan Cook, HSE

A County Durham man has been jailed for operating an illegal waste site. Christopher Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of operating without a permit and was sentenced to 44 weeks in prison (26+18). He runs an unregistered charity at Whinfield Industrial Estate, storing mixed household and hazardous waste over nine feet high, posing a fire risk. Despite warnings and a January 2023 removal deadline, waste remained throughout 2023–2024.

Martin Hindmarsh (38) appeared for contempt of court and operating two illegal waste sites in Middlesbrough. For Owens Road, he received an 18-week suspended sentence, 15 days rehabilitation, 250 hours unpaid work, and £7,506.60 costs. For contempt of court at Tame Road, he was fined £5,000 and ordered to clear the site.

Ilchester Estate (Dorset) paid a Variable Monetary Penalty of £19,777.69 plus £8,298.60 costs for over-abstracting 7,500 m³ of water from the Dorset Frome between December 2022 and July 2023, exceeding its 66.6 m³/day licence and ignoring EA warnings and an application process.

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