Cement Company Fined £1 Million After Worker Crushed By 1.6 Tonne Concrete Weight

Dragon Alfa Cement Limited was fined following the death of a worker crushed by a 1.6 tonne concrete weight at its Sharpness bagging plant in August 2021. An HSE investigation found that perimeter fencing had been routinely removed, exposing moving parts. The case underlines the need for effective guarding and routine checks to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

Dragon Alfa Cement Limited was fined £1 million and ordered to pay £9,621 in costs at Bristol Magistrates Court on 21 July 2026 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The prosecution followed the death of 35 year old Martin Bennett on 4 August 2021 at the companys Sharpness cement bagging plant, where he was found crushed by a 1.6 tonne concrete weight used to raise pallets of 25 kg bags of cement.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that a large section of the machine perimeter fencing had been routinely removed over a prolonged period, allowing full access to dangerous moving parts. HSE concluded the company failed to prevent access to these parts and did not ensure the health safety and welfare of its employees. HSE guidance states employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery and wherever possible use fixed guards.

For health and safety practitioners this case reiterates core duties for machinery safety. Employers need to ensure guards are in place and cannot be easily removed, carry out systematic inspections, apply safe systems of work and train staff about the risks of accessing machinery. The outcome also demonstrates that enforcement action can follow where suitable safeguards were available but not used, and it highlights the severe personal impact on the workers family and the importance of robust controls to prevent similar tragedies.

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