What HSE reported

HSE’s 29 September 2026 release describes the prosecution of Gill Aggregates Ltd after a worker suffered fatal injuries at its Dagenham site in June 2020. The regulator said an opening in fixed guarding allowed access to dangerous moving parts of a conveyor.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 11(1) of PUWER. It was fined £24,000 at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 28 September 2026 and ordered to contribute £43,000 towards costs. The original HSE report is linked below.

Presence is not performance

Our practical takeaway is simple: an inspection needs to ask whether the protective arrangement works for the actual machine and task. “Guard fitted” is an incomplete description if access is still possible or if routine work encourages people to work around it.

A competent review should consider operation alongside foreseeable interventions. What happens when material jams? How is waste cleared? How are adjustments made? What changes when contractors arrive? These questions help expose differences between the intended method and day-to-day work.

Turn observations into the right next step

Site walkrounds can identify visible damage, loose fixings, missing panels or changed working practices for escalation. They are not a substitute for a technical guarding assessment. Do not reach into a machine or open a guard to see whether a hazard is accessible.

Where a concern is found, make the immediate control and decision owner clear under the site’s arrangements. Bring in the appropriate machinery or safety specialist. Avoid informal modifications that introduce new risks or defeat the equipment’s protective functions.

Look across the trade boundary

The cause and remedy may involve mechanical access, electrical controls, maintenance planning and operator instructions together. Harvtec can help investigate machinery problems within an agreed scope and coordinate the work and records that follow. Any specialist safeguarding work needs the appropriate competence.

Check the evidence

Sources & further reading

The reporting above is attributed to its source. Practical interpretation is PULSE’s. This is general information, not a site-specific assessment or safety sign-off.

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