Concrete firm fined £160,000 after fatal incident at Tobermore manufacturing plant

Tobermore Concrete, County Londonderry

A County Londonderry concrete products manufacturer has been fined £160,000 following the death of an employee at its Tobermore production site.

Tobermore Concrete Products Limited was sentenced at Londonderry Crown Court on 19 February 2026 after pleading guilty to a single health and safety offence, following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

The prosecution followed the death of Mr Colin Thomas, a production team leader employed at the company’s main production site at 2 Lisnamuck Road, Tobermore, BT45 5QF, on 26 April 2023.

Fatal incident at HESS1 block manufacturing plant

Tobermore man who sadly died, Mr Colin Thomas

Mr Thomas was carrying out cleaning duties at the company’s HESS1 block manufacturing plant when the incident occurred. He had entered a section of the production line known as the pit area, located behind a perimeter fence fitted with an interlocked access gate.

While Mr Thomas was undertaking cleaning activities, a horizontal latch conveyor — designed to transfer product across the plant — moved, trapping him between the moving conveyor and the fixed structure of the plant.

The HSENI investigation found that energy to the HESS1 production line had not been properly isolated and locked out before the cleaning work began.

Although access gates were fitted with safety interlocks, it was not clear to employees which sections of the plant were de-energised when each gate was opened.

Investigators also established that additional safety features, including safety light sensors intended to stop the movement of equipment, were not installed on the production line involved. Similar sensors were present on other production lines within the facility.

Failings in supervision and safety procedures

The investigation further identified failings in the supervision of employees, which led to unsafe practices that were not adequately managed by the company.

Prosecutors in the Public Prosecution Service’s Fraud & Departmental Section worked closely with HSENI to progress the case.

Speaking after the hearing, HSENI Major Investigation Team Inspector Kiara Blackburn said:

“This incident was tragic and wholly preventable. Employers must ensure that access to dangerous moving parts of equipment is prevented, and that suitable and sufficient risk assessments and isolation and lockout procedures are in place and followed where employees are required to carry out cleaning and maintenance tasks”

Mrs Blackburn added:

“Employers must ensure that employees are provided with adequate information, instruction and training in order to fulfil their jobs safely and that supervision is adequate to ensure such information, instruction and training is being implemented and followed by all.”

The case underscores the importance of strict compliance with machinery guarding and safe isolation procedures in heavy manufacturing environments, particularly where staff are required to carry out cleaning or maintenance near moving equipment.

Guidance on safe isolation and lockout procedures for the concrete industry is available from HSENI at: HSENI- Machinery guarding, safe isolation and maintenance.

Legal breach and fine

Tobermore Concrete Products Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Article 4(1) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978. The company was fined £160,000 at Londonderry Crown Court.

The fine follows the death of Mr Thomas, whose loss has had a profound effect on those who worked alongside him at the County Londonderry facility and on the wider community.