An engineering firm based in Greater Manchester has been fined £100,000 after a serious incident left one of its employees with multiple crush injuries to his arms, legs, and feet.
On 27 September 2023, Richard Jones was welding a large metal ‘A frame’ at Oldham Engineering Limited’s facility in Oldham. The frame, weighing approximately 1.63 tonnes, was an unusual shape and needed to be repositioned and rotated frequently to allow horizontal welding—an essential requirement for weld quality.
Mr Jones was inside the frame welding a bracket when it suddenly shifted and toppled over. With no physical barrier or restraint in place, the massive metal structure landed directly on him, crushing his left arm, left leg, and right foot. The incident caused catastrophic injuries that will likely impact Mr Jones for the rest of his life.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found significant failings in the company’s approach to risk management. Oldham Engineering Ltd had not conducted a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the job. There was no clear safe system of work, no documented method for safely rotating the frame, and no evidence of task-specific training or supervision for high-risk activities involving suspended loads.
The company also failed to consider the predictable consequences of performing welding work within and beneath a suspended, heavy structure—a known hazard in fabrication environments. The lack of physical safety measures and procedural controls was a serious breach of duty.
At a hearing on 8 April 2025, Oldham Engineering Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £4,519.90 in costs at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
This case serves as a sobering reminder that when complex or non-routine tasks are undertaken without robust planning, the consequences can be devastating. Employers must ensure that all activities involving heavy loads, unusual structures, or elevated risks are rigorously assessed and controlled.
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