Engineering Company Fined £500,000 Following Death of Employee

Graham Engineering Ltd, based in Nelson, Lancashire has recently been fined £500,000 after their employee was crushed to death on their premises.

On the 21^st of May 2018, Colin Willoughby, aged 52, was laid on his back underneath a Hugh Smith hydraulic press as he had been asked to remove a weld from a large metal pistol. However, when  Mr Willoughby removed the weld, the internal ram dropped onto him, weighing 1000 tonnes, causing him to be crushed to death at the scene.

Following the incident, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) completed an investigation and Preston Crown Court held that Graham Engineering Ltd had failed to complete a risk assessment and had failed to ensure that a safe system of work was in place when using the machinery.

The company’s director, Stuart Fraser, was acquitted of failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees. Due to the findings, the company was ordered to pay £500,000 and a further £145,488 to reimburse Court costs.

The Health and Safety Executive advised that “this tragic incident could have been avoided if the task had been adequately risk assessed and supervised to ensure safe procedures were followed”.

Mr Willoughby is survived by his wife, Jayne, who described Colin as “a strong Goliath, yet a gentle giant” and advised that the incident has been a “massive shock” and that all relatives had been left “devastated”.

What should I do if an accident has happened at my workplace?

As the above case demonstrates, accidents at work can have far reaching consequences to victims, staff members  and companies directly, with many incidents being easily preventable.

Here at Oakwood Solicitors, we have a wealth of experience in advising employees and companies regarding their rights and obligations.

We can advise you on your legal position and assist you with a claim you may wish to make (even if you are an agency worker). Claims can include reimbursing any loss of earnings you have incurred and providing any treatment which may be needed for your injury.

Further reading

• Our advice to employees who have suffered an accident at work can be found here. Or for more information about accidents in the workplace, read our FAQ.
• ACAS

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