Aberdeenshire farm fined £20,000 after worker died when hood got trapped in machine

A farm in Aberdeenshire has been fined £20,000 after a man died when his hood became trapped in machinery.

Melrose Farms, a family-owned potato farming partnership, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation at Inverness Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Part-time seasonal worker Adam Currie died when his clothing became entangled with the rollers on the underside of a conveyor.

The fatal incident happened at Mains of Melrose Farm, Gamrie on Monday, November 13, 2023.

The prosecutor described how Mr Currie was grading and boxing potatoes delivered by conveyor.

At around 9.10am a passing colleague noticed there was an excess of potatoes on the conveyor and that the belt had stopped.

He shouted on Mr Currie but received no reply.

On investigation he found Mr Currie wedged under the conveyor belt, trapped by his hood in the roller mechanism.

Efforts were made to give him CPR by colleagues and police. Paramedics using advanced life support managed to obtain a pulse before he was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Mr Currie died during the evening of November 16.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that workers had received training in the operation of the machinery and the systems of work to be followed.

Risk assessments were in place for routine tasks and employees knew how to stop the machines.

The investigation was unable to determine why Mr Currie had gone below the conveyor but did find that the farm failed to take effective measures to prevent anyone coming into contact with dangerous moving parts of the machinery.

Following the incident the farm fitted the machine’s rollers with fixed guards and fitted mesh guards to prevent access to the underside of the conveyer.

Speaking after the sentencing, Debbie Carroll, who leads on health and safety investigations for the COPFS, said:  “The death of Adam Currie is a tragic loss for his family and friends and they have my deepest sympathies.

“The risks associated with return rollers on conveyors are a well-documented hazard and should be securely guarded to prevent access and entanglement.

“This prosecution serves to highlight the consequences of failing to do so and I would urge other employers to take action to ensure their employees lives are endangered.”