Company fined £340,000 after cleaner's arm became trapped in hydraulic press

Oliver Partridge
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:51:02 +0000

A manufacturing company has been ordered to pay £340,000 compensation after a worker sustained severe hand injuries in a horror accident.

Bristol Magistrates' Court handed down the penalty to Tyco Electronics UK Limited on April 17, following a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

The incident occurred in March 2023, when a 42-year-old employee was hurt while cleaning equipment at the Faraday Road premises in Swindon.

The man had been carrying out cleaning duties on a pellet manufacturing machine during an overnight shift on March 7, 2023.

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While performing the task, he lifted the hydraulic ram manually and opened a door on the equipment, before reaching inside with his left hand.

As he pulled his arm back out, the door dropped and triggered the hydraulic ram, which crushed his limb.

The worker freed himself by pulling his arm away, causing significant damage to his nerves and tendons, before calling out for assistance.

The victim underwent three surgical procedures to reattach his fingers, and remained in hospital for ten days following the accident.

He subsequently attended Southmead Hospital on a twice-weekly basis for wound care and physiotherapy sessions.

The man continues to suffer from reduced feeling and limited mobility in his fingers, though he has recovered some use of his thumb.

The lasting effects of the injury mean he still experiences significant impairment more than three years after the incident took place.

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The HSE investigation determined that Tyco Electronics UK Limited had not implemented adequate protective measures to safeguard staff cleaning the machinery.

The firm admitted breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and was also ordered to pay £5,145 in costs.

Investigators also established that workers received insufficient guidance on operating and maintaining the equipment safely.

The probe revealed that training provided to employees fell short of required standards, while supervision of workers was found to be lacking.

HSE guidelines emphasise that employers must ensure machinery is completely disconnected from power supplies before any cleaning or maintenance work begins, with regular reviews of safety systems to prevent accidental activation.

The prosecution was led by HSE enforcement lawyer Neenu Bains, with support from paralegal officer Hannah Snelling.

Speaking after the court hearing, HSE Inspector Emma Preston said: "Machinery accidents during maintenance and cleaning are all too common, often with serious consequences.

"Workers should ensure that machinery is properly isolated from all sources of power so that it cannot restart during the task.

"Incidents like this can and should be prevented by following robust lock-off procedures."