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Farm Fined £50k After Missing Screw Kills Worker
22 Nov
Summary
- A missing 50p screw led to a worker's death.
- The company was fined £50,000 for safety breaches.
- The death was deemed easily preventable by family.
A catastrophic failure in basic machinery maintenance resulted in the death of 61-year-old Alban Watts, who was strangled when his clothing became entangled in a hen feeding system. The incident occurred at Bell Mount Farming Limited in Cumbria, where a missing 50p screw on a safety guard allowed access to dangerous moving parts.
The Health and Safety Executive investigation revealed that the guard was not fitted correctly, with stripped bolt holes preventing its secure attachment. This easily rectifiable fault, costing less than a pound, led to the fatal incident on January 11, 2023. The company subsequently pleaded guilty to breaching work equipment regulations.
Bell Mount Farming Limited was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £6,038 in costs. A family statement conveyed deep sadness and anger, highlighting the preventable nature of the tragedy and the profound loss of a beloved brother and son. The HSE emphasized the importance of adequate machine guarding, warning that failures have devastating consequences.
