As the case progresses, one thing is certain: every workplace must prioritize safety, and all employees have the right to go home without harm at the end of their shift.
A Blackburn-based engineering company has been fined £80,000 after the
tragic death of 22-year-old Connor Borthwick, a young man from Wigan, who
was crushed by a heavy machine at work in November 2021. The incident,
which occurred at Partwell Special Steels Limited’s site in Bruce Street,
Blackburn, highlights the importance of health and safety protocols in the
workplace.
Connor, a promising athlete and footballer, was working alongside a colleague
to move a large cutting press machine across the workshop floor when the
accident occurred. The two employees were using skates placed underneath
the machine to move it, but as the machine was being lowered by a jack onto
one of the skates, it became unbalanced. Tragically, the machine fell
backwards, crushing Connor beneath it. Despite efforts to save him, he
suffered catastrophic injuries and later passed away.
Connor’s family, who have described him as a “caring, loving, and funny”
person, have been left devastated by the loss. His sister, Emily Borthwick, an
Olympic high jumper, spoke on behalf of the family, sharing how much
Connor meant to those who knew him. She said, “Everyone loved Connor. He
was a good soul, and this was evident from the more than 700 people who
came to his funeral to pay their respects and share their personal accounts of
how Connor had touched their lives.” Emily also emphasized that Connor’s life
had just begun and was cruelly cut short.
The tragic incident has raised serious concerns about safety standards at
Partwell Special Steels. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) found that the company had failed to assess the risks involved in
moving the large machine. Furthermore, there was no proper planning, no
safe system of work in place, and the employees had not received the
appropriate training to ensure they were competent for the task. The
investigation also revealed that the skates used to move the machine were
unsuitable for the job, which contributed to the incident.
Connor’s death was preventable, and the company’s failure to implement basic
health and safety measures led to the fatal accident. As a result, Partwell
Special Steels Limited pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work Act 1974. At Preston Magistrates Court on December 16,
2024, the company was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £6,713 in costs.
HSE Inspector Anthony Banks, who led the investigation, expressed his
condolences to Connor’s family and stressed the importance of proper risk
assessments in workplaces involving heavy machinery. “This tragic incident
could have easily been avoided with the right controls in place,” he said.
“Those in control of work activities need to assess the risks and plan a safe way
to undertake them.”
Connor Borthwick was well-known in his local community, not only for his
work ethic but also for his athleticism. A former pupil of Deanery High School
in Wigan, he had been a high jumper for Wigan and District Harriers, earning
the title of northern champion nine years ago. He also played football, having
been a member of St Jude’s FC and Shevington FC. His untimely death has left
a void in both his family and the local sports community.
The incident serves as a grim reminder of the vital role that safety protocols
play in preventing workplace accidents. For Connor’s family, it is an ongoing
nightmare, but they hope that their experience will raise awareness and ensure
that no other family has to endure the same heartache. The HSE’s
investigation concluded that simple safety measures could have saved
Connor’s life, and they urge all employers to prioritize worker safety, especially
when moving heavy machinery or conducting other high-risk tasks.
As the case moves forward, the message is clear: no workplace should ever be
unsafe, and all workers deserve to return home unharmed at the end of each
day.
