The incident occurred on 15 April 2024 at the company’s Craft Bakery Limited site in Lostock, Bolton.
The employee fractured their hip after falling from a large plastic pallet box while disposing of food waste into a skip; with a subsequent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) finding that Greenhalgh’s Craft Bakery Limited had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for loading skips and had not provided appropriate equipment to ensure safe access.
Greenhalgh’s was fined a total of £16,667 after the investigation also uncovered that inadequate supervision and monitoring had allowed unsafe working at height practices to become commonplace.
The baker pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, which stipulates that “it shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees”.
On top of the fine, Greenhalgh’s was order to pay costs of £4,333.66, plus a victim surcharge of £2,000, at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 13 March 2026.
“Every employer has a duty to conduct a risk assessment. Employers should identify work-at-height activities and ensure that safe access is available and used,” HSE Inspector Leanne Ratcliffe said.
“They should also ensure systems are in place for supervision and monitoring so that unsafe practices are identified and prevented.”
