Dagenham firm fined £24,000 after worker's death

Gill Aggregates Ltd has been fined £24,000 following the death of an employee in an incident involving a conveyor belt. The company admitted breaching workplace equipment regulations at Snaresbrook Crown Court and was ordered to pay £43,000 in costs.

Incident Details

The incident occurred on 24 June 2020 at the company's depot located in Halyard Street, Dagenham. Manjit Kumar, aged 34, was operating a bag-flattening conveyor when he was pulled into the machinery. Colleagues managed to stop the machine, but the guarding had to be dismantled to free Mr Kumar. He died in hospital a few days later, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported.

Investigation Findings

An investigation by the HSE found that a fixed guard on the machine's compression conveyors had an opening approximately 60cm wide and 33.5cm high. This gap provided access to dangerous moving parts. The HSE stated that the company had identified the risk of workers becoming trapped two months before the incident but had not implemented guarding measures to address it. Further guarding was installed after Mr Kumar's death.

Gill Aggregates, which supplies aggregates and haulage services, pleaded guilty to the charges. HSE inspector Adepeju Sogadgi commented, "This was a tragic incident that resulted in Manjit losing his life. The risks associated with dangerous moving machinery are well known. Employers must ensure that effective measures are in place to prevent workers from gaining access to dangerous parts."