Meeting details
Topic: Falls from Height on Suspended Waste Recycling Machinery
Goal: This toolbox talk on falls from height will review the Woodhorn Group Limited Waste Recycling Accident and prevent similar accidents in 2026.
The incident: what happened?
On 16 February 2024, at the Woodhorn Group Limited green waste recycling site in Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, employee Simon Pateman was working on a Komtech compost screening machine suspended at height inside a barn. While clearing a blockage from the fan housing, a falls from height incident occurred when he slipped, trapping his left leg between the machine and its frame. He fell backwards onto the gantry, striking his head on a handrail, which resulted in a broken leg requiring surgery with a metal plate and screws.
The HSE investigation revealed critical failures, including inadequate risk assessment for cleaning the machine—specifically addressing falls from height—lack of a safe system of work in standard operating procedures for unblocking the fan housing, and poor prevention of access to dangerous parts, as an interlocked gate was bypassed during cleaning of the rotating ‘stars’ discs. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, receiving a fine of £14,000 plus £6,500 in costs at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 16 March 2026. Post-incident, they installed new guarded working platforms around the fan housing and over the ‘stars’.
Core safety lesson
The technical failure in this incident stemmed from unguarded edges on a suspended machine, unstable access during maintenance, and bypassed guarding on moving parts, all compounding the risk of falls from height. The HSE highlighted that proper risk assessments and safe systems of work were absent, allowing routine tasks like clearing blockages to become deadly.
The Hazard: Falls from height due to unguarded edges around the fan housing on a suspended machine, combined with slips, entrapment, and unauthorized access to dangerous moving parts like rotating ‘stars’ discs.
The Control: Install guardrails or guarded working platforms on all exposed edges per HSE working at height guidance; develop risk-assessed procedures for ground-level cleaning where possible, using stable access like MEWPs or ladders with non-slip surfaces; and enforce machine guarding with non-bypassable interlocks, LOTO, and permit-to-work systems.
These controls are non-negotiable because falls from height remain a leading cause of serious injuries and fatalities in industrial settings, especially on machinery accessed for maintenance. Bypassing interlocks or skipping risk assessments turns everyday tasks into high-risk operations, as seen here with the employee’s severe injuries. Implementing them ensures compliance with legal standards like the Work at Height Regulations and HSWA, while protecting workers—failure invites fines, shutdowns, and irreversible harm.
Supervisor’s discussion guide
Engage your crew with these questions to drive home the lessons:
Q1: “Looking at our own equipment today, where is the biggest risk of falls from height?”
Q2: “What safe systems of work do we have for clearing blockages on elevated machinery, and how can we improve them?”
Q3: “Have you ever seen interlocks bypassed during cleaning? Why is that dangerous?”
Q4: “How would you report an unguarded edge or unstable access platform on site?”
Action plan & inspection
Immediately after this meeting, conduct these checks and document findings:
- Inspect all elevated machinery for unguarded edges or platforms, ensuring guardrails meet HSE standards.
- Review risk assessments for maintenance tasks involving heights, confirming ground-level alternatives are prioritized.
- Test interlocks and guarding on equipment with moving parts like fans or discs—no bypasses allowed.
- Verify stable access equipment (ladders, MEWPs) is available, inspected, and fitted with non-slip features.
- Confirm LOTO procedures and permit-to-work systems are posted and trained on for all relevant tasks.
Key takeaways
Falls from height during machinery maintenance, as in the Woodhorn Group incident, demand rigorous controls: guarded platforms, safe access, and unbreakable machine guarding. Never improvise—slips, entrapments, and bypassed interlocks lead to life-altering injuries like broken bones and head trauma, plus heavy fines under HSWA Section 2(1).
Supervisors, lead by example: enforce risk assessments, train on procedures, and inspect daily. This toolbox talk reinforces that preventing falls from height is everyone’s responsibility—act now to safeguard your team in 2026 and beyond.
Source & Disclaimer: This toolbox talk is for educational purposes based on public report. Read Original Report
