£54k fine for tyre company after employee is drawn into machine

A tyre refurbishment company has been fined £54,000 after its employee sustained significant injuries from being drawn into a machine.

D&D Commercial Services Limited, which specialises in commercial tyre re-treading, is based in Lamson Road in Rainham.

The incident occurred on 19 August 2021, when Neal Hetherington (42), had been operating a tyre buffing machine. After using the machine, the spinning blades were freewheeling to a stop – this drew Mr Hetherington into contact with the machine, shredding part of his torso.

After immediate hospital treatment for his injuries, Mr Hetherington was off work for several months afterwards.

Investigating the incident, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that D&D Commercial Services Limited had failed to maintain the buffing machine to ensure its brake functioned as it should.

The bladed rotating rasp (i.e. the fast-moving blade that drew in Mr Hetherington) had a brake fitted which should have stopped the rasp immediately on release of controls. Instead, HSE found the rasp freewheeled for about 5 minutes before it came to rest.

HSE prosecuted D&D Commercial Services under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for its failure to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of its employees. The company failed to enter a plea.

The court found the company guilty following a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on 4 September 2024. They were fined £54,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,000.

HSE Inspector Oscar Dower commented afterward:

“This case sends a clear message to industry that HSE will hold companies to account if they fail to protect their workers.

“The company allowed its workers to use a machine that was not adequately braked or guarded, leading to significant and wholly avoidable injuries to one of its employees. If the company had ensured the machine’s safety features were working as they should have been, this would not have happened.

“Companies should ensure that safety features of work equipment always remain functional, so that workers are kept safe whilst using machinery.”

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