Welsh company fined £1m after employee loses eye and nine teeth at work

Apr 06, 2024

An investigation found the company 'failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment' on a piece of machinery

Get the latest news from Neath Port Talbot straight to your inbox

We have more newsletters

Get the latest news from Neath Port Talbot straight to your inbox

We have more newsletters

A Welsh company has been fined £1m after an employee lost an eye and nine teeth during an accident at work.

The incident happened at Sofidel UK Limited, which manufactures kitchen and toilet tissue paper and is based in Baglan Energy Park in Neath Port Talbot. On November 5, 2019, a male employee at the company was using an overhead crane to free a paper reel which had become stuck on the exit rails of a paper machine, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). As he did so, a part of the crane made contact with a spinning reel which caused the crane hook to “swing violently”. The hook struck the man in the face and as a result he suffered the loss of an eye and nine teeth, and sustained multiple fractures to his face. You can get the latest WalesOnline newsletters e-mailed to you directly for free by signing up here.

A spokesman for the HSE said: “An investigation found that Sofidel UK Limited, based at Brunel Way, Baglan Energy Park, Briton Ferry, Neath, failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to identify the hazards posed by paper reels which did not eject correctly from the machine. They also failed to ensure that control measures were in place and that employees were provided with information and instructions on what to do should this situation arise. The issue was happening regularly, yet no risk assessment had been undertaken despite operators being provided with basic equipment to use in these circumstances.”

Read more: Co-founder of iconic Welsh company dies

Sofidel UK Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £1m. On top of that, the company was ordered to pay costs of £13,466.50.

Speaking after the hearing - held at Swansea Magistrates’ Court last week (July 13) - HSE Inspector Matthew Gray said: "This incident could so easily have been avoided by carrying out a suitable risk assessment which included non-routine operations such as clearing of blockages, and by implementing appropriate control measures and safe working practices. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”