Firm fined after worker dragged into conveyor and fatally crushed

An HSE investigation found a fixed guard had been fitted around the machine’s compression conveyors, but it contained an opening about 60cm (24in) wide and 33.5cm (13in) high, giving access to dangerous moving parts.

Further guarding was installed after Kumar’s death.

Gill Aggregates, which is based in Northfleet, Kent, supplies aggregates and haulage services to builders’ merchants and the construction industry.

It pleaded guilty to breaching regulations that require employers to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

HSE inspector Adepeju Sogadgi said: “This was a tragic incident that resulted in Manjit losing his life.

“The risks associated with dangerous moving machinery are well known. Employers must ensure that effective measures are in place to prevent workers from gaining access to dangerous parts.”

A spokesperson for Gill Aggregates said: “The sentencing judge was clear that this was not a case involving a deliberate breach of the law or cost-cutting at the expense of safety.

“The court also found that there had been no prior incident or other circumstance that had alerted the company to the particular risk that sadly materialised.

“While the company accepts responsibility for the failings identified and the consequences that followed, the court recognised that the company took health and safety seriously before the incident.

“We remain committed to learning from this tragedy and to maintaining the highest standards of safety across our operations.”

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