A cement company has been fined £1 million following the death of employee Martin Bennett, 35, who was crushed by a 1.6-tonne concrete weight at a cement bagging plant in Sharpness, Gloucestershire, in August 2021. [press.hse.gov.uk], [agg-net.com]
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that a large section of safety fencing around the machinery had been routinely removed, allowing access to dangerous moving parts. Investigators concluded that the company failed to prevent employees from accessing hazardous areas of the equipment. [press.hse.gov.uk], [agg-net.com]
Dragon Alfa Cement Limited pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation and was fined £1 million, along with being ordered to pay costs of £9,621 at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on 21 July 2026. [press.hse.gov.uk], [cornerston…isters.com]
HSE Inspector Oliver Guiver said the death “should never have happened” and that proper guarding measures were available but had not been maintained. [press.hse.gov.uk], [agg-net.com]
