Tyco Electronics UK Limited has been fined £340,000 after an employee sustained serious, long-term hand injuries while cleaning machinery at its Swindon facility. The incident, which occurred on 7 March 2023, led to a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation that uncovered significant failings in safety procedures, training, and supervision at the manufacturing company. The firm was also ordered to pay costs of £5,145 at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 17 April 2026.
The 42-year-old worker was on a night shift at the company’s Faraday Road premises, tasked with cleaning a machine used for manufacturing pellets from raw materials. During the cleaning process, he manually raised the machine’s hydraulic ram and opened a door, then reached inside with his left hand. As he attempted to withdraw his arm, the machine’s door unexpectedly fell, activating the hydraulic ram and trapping his limb. The worker managed to pull his arm free, but not before tearing nerves and tendons, an injury that necessitated three operations and a ten-day hospital stay.
Following the incident, the injured employee required twice-weekly appointments at Southmead Hospital for dressing changes and physiotherapy. Despite regaining some movement in his thumb, he continues to experience a significant loss of sensation and movement in his fingers, highlighting the severe and lasting impact of the workplace accident.
The Health and Safety Executive’s investigation into the incident revealed that Tyco Electronics UK Limited had failed to implement suitable and sufficient measures to protect employees from risks associated with machine cleaning. A critical finding was the absence of adequate information and instruction provided to staff on safe machine operation and cleaning protocols. Furthermore, the investigation concluded that the training offered to employees was insufficient, and supervision was not up to the required standard. These systemic failures directly contributed to the dangerous conditions that led to the worker’s injury.
HSE guidance explicitly stresses the paramount importance of adhering to safe isolation and lock-off procedures before any maintenance or cleaning work is carried out on machinery. Employers are legally obliged to ensure that all equipment is properly isolated from every power source, preventing any inadvertent start-up. Additionally, safety systems must be regularly monitored and reviewed to maintain their effectiveness and prevent such incidents from occurring. The investigation found that these fundamental safety principles were not adequately applied at Tyco Electronics UK Limited.
Tyco Electronics UK Limited, located at Company Secretariat, Faraday Road, Swindon, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This section places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare at work of all their employees. The court’s decision underscores the serious nature of the company’s failings and the severe consequences for the injured worker.
Following the court hearing, HSE Inspector Emma Preston emphasised the commonality and serious outcomes of machinery accidents during maintenance and cleaning tasks. She stated that workers must ensure machinery is properly isolated from all power sources to prevent unexpected restarts during tasks. Inspector Preston concluded that incidents of this nature are entirely preventable through the implementation of robust lock-off procedures. This prosecution was handled by HSE enforcement lawyer Neenu Bains, with support from paralegal officer Hannah Snelling.
This story was originally published by the Health and Safety Executive.
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