HSE | A North Yorkshire company has been fined more than half a million pounds after a night shift worker fell to his death.
Mark Pinder, 51, was working for East Riding Sacks Ltd at its Stamford Bridge site on 11 February 2023 when a blockage-removal procedure caused part of the machine to activate, sending him three metres to the factory floor, where he died.
The HSE found the company failed to provide a robust safe system of work, neglected isolation and training procedures for blockage removal, and allowed workers to shortcut across the conveyor rather than using the stairs.
East Riding Sacks Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £533,000 plus £6,066 costs.
Inspector Elliot Archer said falls from height and unguarded machinery access are preventable with proper isolation procedures and safe systems of work, and that this incident could have been avoided.
