Printing Firm Fined £400k After Fatal Industrial Door Incident
By Safety Desk · 24 June 2026
A Cardiff company has been fined £400,000 following a maintenance worker's death involving a sectional overhead door that lacked proper maintenance.
A Cardiff-based advertising printing firm has been fined £400,000 after a maintenance worker was killed while repairing an industrial overhead door. The incident occurred when a maintenance worker attempted to re-tension door springs using a wrench; the tool was ejected when the spring unwound unexpectedly, causing fatal injuries.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation revealed that the company, GNW 2023 Realisations Limited, had failed to implement a routine inspection programme for its electrically operated doors. Despite two previous accidents involving the same equipment, the firm allowed the doors to fall into a state of disrepair. Furthermore, the worker had not received the specialist training required for such high-risk repairs, and the company had failed to provide a safe system of work or the correct tools.
Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), powered sectional doors are classified as work equipment. This means they must be regularly inspected by a competent person and maintained in a safe condition. This case highlights the critical importance for procurement and facilities managers to ensure that high-risk maintenance tasks involve properly trained specialists and compatible industrial equipment.
Source: HSE