Forging Company Fined After Fatal Lathe Entanglement

Brief Summary

Somers Forge Limited was fined after an employee died following entanglement in a lathe while finishing a rotating component using handheld emery cloth. The case highlights failures in controlling dangerous working practices, protecting access to moving machinery parts, and having suitable and sufficient risk assessment and safe operating procedures.

What Was The Incident?

On 8 December 2023, Nick Hardiman, a machinist, was using handheld emery cloth to finish a rotating component on a 20 metre long lathe in the machine shop at Somers Forge Limited. He became entangled in the moving parts and suffered catastrophic injuries. Despite emergency treatment, he died later that evening.

What Was The Outcome?

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Somers Forge Limited was fined £750,000 and ordered to pay £38,314 in costs at Walsall Magistrates Court on 18 February 2026.

What Lessons Can Be Learnt?

Prohibit unsafe ways of working with machine tools. Employers must stop foreseeable dangerous practices, including applying emery cloth by hand to a rotating component.

Control access to dangerous moving parts. Systems of work must prevent people being able to reach or be drawn into the danger zone of moving machinery parts.

Check PPE does not create new entanglement risks. Risk assessments should consider how clothing, PPE, or other items could be injured by or drawn into moving machinery and update controls accordingly.

Use suitable and sufficient risk assessment. A proper risk assessment for the lathe should identify entanglement hazards and ensure that controls are in place before work starts.

Establish and follow safe operating procedures. Written safe operating procedures are needed to ensure employees can carry out metalworking tasks safely, including the correct method for finishing and how to avoid the entanglement zone.

HSE Prosecution Link