Workers injured after being struck by three stone slabs, manufacturer to pay £12K
An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, has determined that Bespoke Stone Ltd could have prevented an accident involving two workers at its workshop in Ipswich. The incident occurred in June 2022 when two employees, Steven Constable and Struan Dunsmore, were preparing to lift a quartz slab onto a saw bed. Unfortunately, three slabs of quartz stone fell from a stillage and onto the workers. Constable suffered multiple bone fractures and soft tissue damage, including fractures to his right femur, hip, left tibia and foot. He endured a number of operations and spent 12 weeks in the hospital. Dunsmore sustained bruising to his body and had to take time off of work
During its investigation, the HSE learned that Bespoke Stone Ltd was not safely handling and storing stone slabs. Additionally, the restraint system provided did not fit around larger sizes of material. According to the HSE, slabs should always remain restrained during loading/unloading operations, especially when people are present. Finally, Bespoke Stone Ltd failed to accurately report the workers’ injuries and time off under RIDDOR regulations.
Bespoke Stone Ltd, of Dales Road, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £6,600 and ordered to pay £4,875.40 in costs at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 17 January 2025.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, HSE inspector Jessica Flint said, “Bespoke Stone Ltd failed to grasp the importance of safe handling and storage of stone materials in stone masonry, with employees regularly working within the hazard zone of slabs during operations within its workshop. The CCTV footage makes clear how serious this incident was, with one of the employees sustaining a number of horrific injuries which have affected his ability to return to work. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
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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.
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