Manufacturing Company Fined £600k After Fatal Workplace Incident

On 21st September 2020 Tony Snowden, 56, was fatally injured when a pallet that was stacked on top of another pallet fell trapping him between the pallet and a ledge on a wall behind him.

The loaded pallet in total weighed 592kg and other employees in the area had to ‘unload’ the pallet as it was too heavy for them to lift in order to remove it from Mr Snowden. Sadly, when the pallet was removed Mr Snowden had died from his injuries.

A HSE investigation found the company failed to conduct risk assessments considering load, height, weight and stability. The company stored three-legged pallets without racking systems, stacking them on top of each other at floor level. The investigation concluded these pallets should never have been stacked vertically.

Although the company had a “Procedure for Pallet Handling Policy” not all employees working in the RMS area had been trained on it. No evidence was found that Mr Snowden had been trained on the procedure.

Systagenix Wound Management Manufacturing Limited t/a Scapa Healthcare Limited of 997 Manchester Road, Ashton Under Lyne, pleaded guilty to a single charge of breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The court was told that the main failings of the company were:

• Failing to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the storage of goods pallets in the bulk storage area, and in particular failing to consider their height, weight and stability.

• Failing to put in place measures to prevent double stacking and falling pallets;

• Failing to provide adequate training for storing goods pallets in the RMS area;

• Failing to ensure adequate monitoring and supervision of the condition and storage of goods pallets stored in the RMS area.

The company was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay £15,000 in costs at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on 12 November 2025.

Forbes Comments:

Following any serious or fatal incident there will always be a closer review of the company’s risk management procedures, training and systems of work.  Having in place regular Health and Safety audits enables companies to identify poor work practices and to ensure that employees are complying with good safety practices, embed safety culture and behaviour to frontline staff and to minimise the risk of harm happening.