Truro Sawmills Limited, a Cornwall-based timber company, and its Managing Director, Alistair Wright, have been collectively fined £25,000 and ordered to pay £7,500 in costs after failing to comply with multiple Health and Safety Executive (HSE) improvement notices. The court also disqualified Mr Wright from acting as a company director for five years following serious health and safety breaches at their Penhallow sawmill. The prosecution at Truro Crown Court on 20 August 2026 highlighted significant failures to protect employees from wood dust exposure and unsafe lift truck operations.
Truro Sawmills and Director Fined £25,000 for Safety Breaches
The HSE investigation revealed that Truro Sawmills Limited had repeatedly failed to address safety concerns despite being served with several Improvement Notices. Inspectors found that workers were not adequately protected from the severe health risks associated with wood dust, which can lead to debilitating conditions such as asthma, other respiratory illnesses, and even cancer if not properly controlled. Furthermore, employees operating rider-operated lift trucks lacked appropriate training, creating substantial safety hazards within the workplace.
Specific failings identified by the HSE included the absence of suitable health surveillance for employees exposed to wood dust, a crucial measure for early detection of occupational diseases. Additionally, respiratory protective equipment (RPE) intended to shield workers from dust inhalation had not undergone proper face fit testing, rendering it potentially ineffective. These oversights meant that the protective measures in place were insufficient to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the sawmill’s workforce.
The company, which supplies timber and manufactures gates, fencing panels, and garden furniture, was found to be in breach of its legal duties under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Truro Sawmills Limited pleaded guilty to four counts, including contravening the requirements of three Improvement Notices, contrary to Section 33(1)(g) of the Act. Alistair Wright, the Managing Director, also pleaded guilty to one count of contravening an Improvement Notice, contrary to Section 33(1)(g) and Section 37(1) of the Act, acknowledging his personal responsibility in the failures.
HSE Principal Inspector Melissa Lai-Hung underscored the gravity of the situation, stating that the firm’s failure to act on legally-binding notices put their workforce at severe risk. She emphasised that exposure to wood dust is a known cause of serious health conditions and that untrained lift truck operation poses immediate dangers on site. The HSE’s proactive intervention and subsequent prosecution serve as a stark reminder that both companies and individuals must comply with health and safety regulations to ensure worker protection.
The court’s decision to disqualify Mr Wright from acting as a company director for a period of five years under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 sends a clear message about the accountability of those in leadership positions. This measure is reserved for cases where directors are found to have acted in a manner that makes them unfit to manage a company, often due to serious breaches of their legal duties. The ruling reinforces the principle that directors have a personal responsibility to ensure a safe working environment and cannot ignore regulatory warnings.
The financial penalties imposed reflect the seriousness of the breaches. Truro Sawmills Limited was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. Alistair Wright received a personal fine of £5,000 and was ordered to pay £2,500 in costs. These combined penalties aim to deter similar negligence and ensure that companies invest adequately in robust health and safety management systems. The case highlights the importance of adhering to HSE guidance on controlling wood dust, ensuring proper lift-truck training, and implementing effective health surveillance and fit testing for RPE.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre.
