Bassetlaw District Council has been fined £50,000 after one of its employees sustained serious injuries when a ride-on lawnmower overturned, causing him to fall over two metres onto a public road. The incident, which occurred at St Peter & St Paul’s Church in North Wheatley, Nottinghamshire, highlighted significant failings in the council’s health and safety procedures.
Bassetlaw District Council failed to assess risks on steep churchyard slopes.
The serious incident took place on Monday 30 March 2026, while the employee was carrying out routine maintenance in the closed graveyard of St Peter & St Paul’s Church. While operating a ride-on mower, the worker lost control as the machine slid down a steep bank towards a retaining wall. Both the mower and the operative rolled over the wall, plummeting approximately 2.3 metres to the pavement and road below. The employee suffered cracked ribs and other injuries as a result of the fall.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uncovered a series of critical omissions by Bassetlaw District Council. Crucially, the council had not conducted a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks posed to employees operating ride-on mowers on banks and slopes. This fundamental oversight meant that the inherent dangers of such tasks were not properly identified or mitigated.
Furthermore, the HSE investigation revealed that the council had failed to provide adequate information, instruction, or training to its employees regarding the safe use of machinery near slopes and banks. This lack of proper preparation left workers ill-equipped to handle the challenging terrain and potential hazards. Compounding these issues, no preventative measures were in place at the retaining wall to avert a fall from height, despite the clear risk of serious personal injury.
The court heard that a Guidance Document for the Landscape Industry, published by the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), clearly outlines the measures employers should implement to assess and control risks when working on or near slopes and banks. The Judge found that Bassetlaw District Council had fallen far short of these expected industry standards, deeming the council highly culpable for the incident.
Bassetlaw District Council, located at Queen’s Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. In addition to the £50,000 fine imposed at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court, the council was ordered to pay costs of £5,138.85 and a victim surcharge of £2,000.
HSE Inspector Muir Finlay commented on the severity of the incident, emphasising that it could have resulted in even more tragic consequences. Inspector Finlay underscored the importance for all employers to conduct thorough and suitable risk assessments for work undertaken on banks and slopes. He stressed that appropriate controls and comprehensive training must be provided to ensure worker safety. The HSE will continue to take decisive action against organisations that fail to uphold their responsibilities in protecting the health and safety of their workforce.
This story was originally published by the Health and Safety Executive.
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