Engineering Firm Fined £50,000 After Worker Dies in Cleanroom Collapse
Published on 07/08/2026 at 18:41 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A Hamilton-based engineering company has been fined £50,000 after a worker was killed when wall panels collapsed during the dismantling of a cleanroom — a case that exposes critical safety failures in managing work at height.
Food Process Engineering Ltd was sentenced at Paisley Sheriff Court on July 6, 2026, for breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. The company must also pay a £3,750 victim surcharge.
This case is a stark reminder that inadequate risk assessments can have fatal consequences. Many UK employers unknowingly leave critical safety gaps in their documentation — gaps that could be exposed in an investigation just like this one. A free Risk Assessment Toolkit provides 41 ready-to-use templates and checklists to help you manage workplace hazards effectively and stay compliant. Download the free Risk Assessment Toolkit
Fatal Collapse During Dismantling
Steven Tervit, 32, died on November 9, 2022, while working at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) in Renfrew. During the cleanroom dismantling process, wall panels collapsed, ejecting Mr Tervit from a scissor lift. He fell approximately four metres to the ground.
HSE Investigation Reveals Multiple Failures
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uncovered several critical safety shortcomings. The company had failed to provide A-frame props — equipment essential for supporting wall panels during dismantling.
The HSE also found that Food Process Engineering Ltd's risk assessment was inadequate, and it had not properly communicated the risks of the task to employees. Investigators further discovered that the firm had made an unsafe assumption about third-party construction work and failed to ensure lateral support remained in place after the roof structure had been removed.
Ongoing Concerns Over Work at Height
The case highlights persistent safety risks in industrial environments. According to HSE figures, falls from height caused 31 workplace deaths during the 2025/2026 period.
The sentencing came alongside other significant health and safety developments in the UK. An ongoing trial, which began on July 7, 2026, involves Foster + Partners and three other firms over a fatal 2018 incident in London where a window pane fell from a luxury tower. In recent months, enforcement action has also been taken against other companies, including a £30,000 fine issued to Samson Containers Ltd in June for exposing workers to carcinogenic welding fumes.
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