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HSE reported on 28 October 2025 that Stonegrave Aggregates Limited had been fined £270,000, with £15,637 in costs, after a worker was injured while cleaning machinery at Aycliffe Quarry in County Durham.
The incident happened on 24 March 2023. A supervisor restarted the waste picking line after mistaking the worker for another colleague. The worker suffered a fractured shoulder, torn ligaments and a broken finger. HSE found that the isolation procedure had not been correctly implemented.
The regulator also described a fatal incident in December 2015 on a separate waste sorting line at the site.
The practical lesson for ISO 45001
A safety management system needs evidence that controls work during cleaning and maintenance, as well as during production. Audit questions could include who verifies isolation, how workers understand the arrangements and how managers respond when a procedure is not followed.
Verify controls in practice
Written instructions and training records are useful, but they should be considered alongside observation, worker feedback and supervision. The technical method of isolation must be determined by competent people using the relevant equipment guidance.
Learn across the organisation
A previous incident should prompt consideration of similar equipment and activities, rather than a response confined to one location. Managers can review whether actions were completed and whether subsequent checks demonstrate sustained improvement.
Separate the case facts from the interpretation
The discussion above applies management-system principles to the reported events. It does not establish Stonegrave’s certification status or claim that holding a certificate would certainly have prevented the incident or fine.
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Sources: HSE’s Stonegrave prosecution report; HSE guidance on ISO 45001.