Engineer crushed to death by machine in recycling facility accident
An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, has determined that Premier Engineering Projects Ltd and M&M Mobile Crane Hire Ltd could have prevented the death of a 48-year-old self-employed engineer. Russell Hartley had been hired by Premier Engineering Projects to replace a Trisomat screen, better known as a ‘flip-flop,’ at a materials recycling facility. Mr. Hartley and his team of engineers were using a crane, which was supplied by M&M Mobile Crane Hire, to lift the flip-flop off a telehandler, which had its forks slightly raised. The machinery then fell forward off the forks, crushing Mr. Hartley.
During its investigation, the HSE found that the work being done was not properly planned, supervised or performed safely, and the assessment of the risks arising from the work was both unsuitable and insufficient. Premier Engineering Projects and M&M Mobile Crane Hire each pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Premier Engineering Projects was fined £28,000 and ordered to pay £9,277.48 in costs, while M&M Mobile Crane was fined £48,000 and ordered to pay £9,500 in costs.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, HSE inspector Mark Slater said, “Had this work been planned, managed and monitored to a sufficient standard, this incident was entirely avoidable and Mr Hartley’s family would still have him in their lives. Risks arising from the lifting and moving of equipment of this size and nature are entirely foreseeable, and work of this nature should be afforded the utmost respect and care.”
Industrial accidents in the news
Worker’s legs crushed and then amputated after warehouse forklift accident
Andrew McAuley, a 64-year-old employee, was picking orders at the company’s warehouse when the incident occurred.
Welder hit by forklift truck, causing fractured ankle and broken elbow
David Lucas was working in the company’s welding shop site when he was hit by a reversing forklift that was moving large jigs in and out of a welding pen.
2 workers suffer severe injuries within a week, meat casing manufacturer fined $197K by OSHA
The company was ultimately cited for one repeat violation, seven serious violations, and one other-than-serious violation.
Learn more about industrial safety
What are your plant’s safety goals, and what changes must be made to achieve them?
"It's a challenge because most leaders aren't given the skills to be able to create a comfortable environment for people to speak up."
Podcast: The Greatest Safety Leadership Show on Earth
Get a sneak preview of Safety Leadership Conference 2024, and hear why this is the one safety show you do not want to miss.
Playing Field, Players and the Game: Understanding Safety Performance
It’s essential to pinpoint the factors contributing to a decline in safety performance.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn
