A Leicestershire road planing contractor, Power Plane Limited, has been fined £92,450 after a 32-year-old employee suffered a traumatic leg amputation while operating a road milling machine on 14 February 2024 at Wade Road, Basingstoke. Emergency services were forced to amputate the worker’s right leg at the scene after it became trapped by the rotating milling drum. The incident has left the employee with long-term physical and psychological effects, unable to work for over a year.
Dangerous Machinery Use
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation revealed that Power Plane Limited consistently failed to fit the manufacturer’s protective guard, known as the ‘protective bow’, on their road milling machines. This guard is crucial to preventing contact with hazardous rotating parts. Despite clear health and safety instructions, the company’s practice exposed employees to severe risk.
Serious Consequences
The injured worker continues to endure significant physical pain and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the accident, adapting to life with a permanent disability. The amputation ended his ability to work for more than a year, with ongoing mental health challenges reported.
Legal Outcome
Power Plane Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. At Aldershot Magistrates’ Court on 13 May 2026, the company received a fine of £92,450 plus £6,781 costs. This prosecution was pursued by enforcement lawyer Rebecca Schwartz and paralegal Farhat Basir on behalf of the HSE.
HSE Warning
“Every year, a significant proportion of accidents, many of them serious or fatal, are caused by poorly guarded work equipment,” said HSE inspector Peter Crees. “This was a wholly avoidable incident, caused by a failure to guard dangerous parts. Had the company simply fitted the manufacturer’s guard to the machine, this life-changing injury could have been prevented.”
