Hartlepool Chemical Manufacturer Fined After Two Serious Workplace Incidents

Brief Summary

A chemical manufacturer was fined after two employees were seriously injured at separate sites within three months. The cases involved unsafe machinery isolation during production preparation and inadequate control of forklift truck movements and pedestrian separation. The outcome reinforces the need for robust procedures and site transport arrangements that prevent exposure to dangerous moving parts and reduce collision risks.

What Was The Incident?

At the Haverton Hill site, an employee sustained serious injuries when four fingers were severed during machinery start up. The blades of a rotary valve had not been effectively isolated from the power supply while part of the production line was being prepared between cleaning operations, and the employee became caught as he checked for airflow. At the Brenda Road site, an employee was struck by a forklift truck when the driver view was obscured by the load, and the driver was unaware a pedestrian was walking in front of the vehicle.

What Was The Outcome?

Exwold Technology Limited pleaded guilty to two breaches of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £50,000, ordered to pay £10,492.19 in costs, and a victim surcharge of £190 was applied at Teesside Magistrates Court on 29 January 2026. The judge referenced genuine improvements the company had made since the incidents.

What Lessons Can Be Learnt?

Ensure effective isolation of dangerous machinery. When equipment is being prepared between cleaning operations, procedures must ensure hazardous moving parts are securely isolated so workers cannot be exposed during checks or start up.

Control routine maintenance and production preparation risks. Safe isolation must be treated as a routine requirement for maintenance and cleaning related activities, not just for planned work, with arrangements that remain effective between tasks.

Manage forklift truck operations to remove collision risk. Precautions are needed to protect workers where forklift trucks operate, including ensuring drivers have enough visibility of the route ahead of the vehicle.

Provide and manage clear pedestrian routes. Designated pedestrian routes must be effectively managed so pedestrians are separated from forklift traffic, preventing workers from being in the vehicle path without the driver being aware.

Act urgently after serious incidents at the same business. Two serious incidents at different sites within a short period signals weaknesses in overall control systems, so improvements must be timely, consistent, and validated across sites.

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