A Staffordshire-based manufacturing company, E H Hassell & Sons Limited, has been fined £300,000 after a worker sustained severe, life-changing injuries when he was struck on the head by a one-tonne metal hopper. The incident, which occurred on 24 March 2025, left 63-year-old Gary Taylor with multiple fractures and a prolonged period of recovery, profoundly impacting his life and that of his family.
Unsecured one-tonne hopper struck worker’s head during lifting
Mr Taylor, a grandfather, was among several employees at the company’s Newstead Industrial Estate site in Trentham involved in unloading a lorry trailer containing steel components for a large filtration system. The workers had improvised a system to lift a heavy metal hopper from the trailer bed using a forklift truck, placing the forks underneath the unsecured load. Tragically, as the hopper slid from the forks, it struck Mr Taylor, who was standing alongside it, on the head.
The impact caused injuries, including fractures to his skull, neck, and spine, two broken ribs, and a severe laceration to his forehead that required 17 staples and 14 stitches. Mr Taylor spent three weeks in hospital following the incident and was unable to return to work for seven months. The physical and psychological toll has been immense, with Mr Taylor describing himself as “a shadow of his former self” and expressing uncertainty about his future. His wife has also experienced constant worry, a concern she did not have before the accident.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed significant failings in the company’s safety procedures. It was found that the lifting operation had not been properly planned by a competent person. Crucially, the characteristics of the load, such as its weight, size, centre of gravity, and lifting points, had not been adequately assessed. Furthermore, no safe system of work had been established for the task, despite moving an object of this size and weight not being a regular occurrence at the site.
HSE guidance on Planning and organising lifting operations clearly states the importance of properly resourcing, planning, and organising lifting operations to ensure they are carried out safely. The absence of such fundamental planning directly contributed to the severe injuries sustained by Mr Taylor. This incident underscores the critical need for employers to adhere to these guidelines, especially when undertaking non-routine tasks involving heavy or awkward loads.
E H Hassell & Sons Limited, of Alderflat Drive, Trentham, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). At a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 23 October 2026, the company was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay additional costs of £5,690.
HSE inspector Claire Whitehurst commented on the case, stating: “The failures here resulted in an experienced worker suffering life-changing injuries. The company failed to properly plan the lifting operation or implement a safe system of work. Mr Taylor suffered serious injuries which could easily have resulted in his death. He has been left with facial scarring, and both he and his family have been deeply affected by this traumatic experience.
Employers must ensure that lifting operations are properly planned by a competent person and carried out safely. This is especially important for non-routine tasks involving heavy or awkward loads.” The HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Julian White and supported by paralegal officer Stephen Grabe.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre
