Recent prosecutions: Company fined £165,000 after fatal strangulation incident

An industrial door company has been fined £165,000 following an incident that killed a 33-year-old employee. 

The experienced engineer was repairing a roller door when his hooded top became trapped in the mechanism. The hoodie’s strings were caught and wound around a door torsion spring, causing them to tighten around the man’s neck and choke him. 

Despite a colleague rushing to his aid and cutting him free of his garment, the employee died in hospital after three days in hospital.    

After the incident, worker interviews revealed that staff frequently wore hoodies to stay warm on the job. While the company had repeatedly advised employees not to wear loose clothing and provided black boiler suits for their protection, the firm had neither implemented nor enforced a formal policy. 

Failing to discharge an employer’s duty of care  

A hearing found that the company had failed to provide the necessary ‘information, instruction, training, and supervision’ to safeguard its staff when working with the door springs involved in the incident. 

The firm admitted failing to ensure the proper health, safety, and welfare of its employees and pleaded guilty to neglecting to establish and uphold a safe system of work for staff while repairing and maintaining torsion springs.

The business received a total fine of £165,000.

Prevent safety incidents across your business 

A robust compliance programme can prevent workplace accidents and protect your company from financial penalties and reputational damage. To discuss cost-effective solutions for your key safety challenges, get in touch with the Opus team. 

We’re available on 0330 043 4015 and hello@opus-safety.co.uk.