Worker\u2019s leg amputated after being struck by moving cargo during unloading.
\nHSE investigation found unsafe system of work and unprotected gap in roller deck.
\nCompany failed to prevent employees intervening with stuck loads.<\/p>\n
A flower supplier has been fined after an employee\u2019s leg was amputated following a serious incident at its processing facility in Huntingdon.<\/p>\n
Andy Hazelden was working for MM Flowers Limited, at its site in Alconbury Weald, on 4 February 2023 when he was injured while helping to manually unload cargo from a delivery trailer ahead of Valentine\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n
Cargo had become stuck on the trailer, and Mr Hazelden, along with two colleagues, attempted to free it. As part of this process, he stepped onto a roller deck where there was a gap.<\/p>\n
Photo of gap in roller deck pre-accident<\/p>\n
Once the cargo was freed, a skid slid from the trailer onto the roller deck and struck his left leg, which had become trapped in the gap.<\/p>\n
The 60-year-old sustained devastating injuries and later underwent a series of medical procedures, ultimately resulting in a through-knee amputation.<\/p>\n
His injuries have been life-changing, leaving him reliant on a wheelchair and the care of his wife. He has also been unable to continue his much-loved pastime of riding motorcycles.<\/p>\n
Mr Hazelden said:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI was fully conscious whilst trapped on the roller deck following the accident\u2026 at one point I was genuinely terrified I was going to bleed out and die. I could hear blood hitting the warehouse floor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMuch of the time during my stay at hospital I felt helpless and undignified. I have pretty much had to learn to mobilise in a wheelchair and learn to walk again using prosthetic limbs. I feel my identity has changed.\u201d<\/p>\n An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that MM Flowers Limited failed to ensure employees were safe when unloading aircraft skids from delivery vehicles in the intake area.<\/p>\n Workers were required to physically intervene when skids became stuck, exposing them to risk from moving loads. The investigation also identified a 10cm gap in the roller deck that had not been recognised or addressed, creating a risk of employees stepping into it.<\/p>\n HSE guidance states that employers must put in place suitable arrangements to manage health and safety, including designing effective risk control systems and ensuring safe systems of work are followed in practice. Further guidance can be found here: Managing for health and safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n MM Flowers Limited, of Enterprise Campus, Alconbury Weald, Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined \u00a3134,000 and ordered to pay \u00a34,908 in costs at Peterborough Magistrates\u2019 Court on 10 April 2026.<\/p>\n HSE Inspector Tom Pouncey said:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHealth and safety law is there to ensure people can go home healthy from work, sadly a man has had the rest of his life severely impacted due to his employer failing to fulfil their duty.<\/p>\n \u201cSerious incidents like this can occur when everyday work activities have not been properly assessed and unsafe practices are allowed to continue.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this case, employees were exposed to risk by being required to manually intervene with stuck loads, and by the presence of an unprotected gap where they were working.<\/p>\n \u201cHad the company identified these risks and implemented a safe system of work, Mr Hazelden\u2019s life-changing injury could have been prevented.\u201d<\/p>\n This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Rebecca Schwartz and paralegal officer Michael Millman.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Further information:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Health and Safety Executive<\/a>\u00a0(HSE) is Britain\u2019s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.<\/p>\n More information about the\u00a0legislation<\/a>\u00a0referred to in this case is available. Worker\u2019s leg amputated after being struck by moving cargo during unloading. HSE investigation found unsafe system of work and unprotected gap in roller deck. Company failed to prevent employees intervening with stuck loads. A flower supplier has been fined after an employee\u2019s leg was amputated following a serious incident at its processing facility in Huntingdon….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2268"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2268"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2268\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nFurther details on the latest\u00a0HSE news releases<\/a>\u00a0is available.
\nRelevant HSE guidance can be found here: Managing for health and safety<\/a>
\nHSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.\u00a0 The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"