Ceramics manufacturer Emma Bridgewater has been handed a £266,666 fine after a young girl was injured by falling broken glass during a Christmas lights switch-on event at its premises in Hanley. The sentence was imposed after a HSE investigation found the company had failed to properly secure a snow machine which fell from a window above.
On 23 November 2024, the 12-year-old victim attended an annual Christmas lights switch-on event with her family at the Emma Bridgewater gift shop in Hanley. During the event, an artificial snow machine, which was in a window opening above the gift shop, fell out of the building and to the ground below. The machine hit a light on the way, sending a shard of broken glass towards the girl’s head, she suffered a deep cut which required hospital treatment.
The HSE’s investigation found that Emma Bridgewater Limited had not properly assessed the risks associated with the use of the snow machine and had failed to ensure that it was properly secured to prevent it from falling out of the window, despite the manufacturer’s instructions demonstrating clearly how to safely install it.
Emma Bridgewater Limited of Lichfield Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 10(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £266,666 with costs of £4,931 and a victim surcharge of £2,000.
This case serves as a timely reminder that health and safety responsibilities extend beyond the workplace and include members of the public who may be affected by an organisation's activities. Seasonal events, promotional activities, decorations, temporary installations and outsourced equipment can all introduce additional risks that may not be fully considered through routine risk management processes. From Vantify's perspective, the significant fine highlights the importance of undertaking suitable and sufficient risk assessments, following manufacturers' installation guidance, and ensuring temporary equipment is correctly installed, inspected and secured. Organisations hosting events or public-facing activities should use this case as an opportunity to review their planning and controls to ensure the safety of employees, visitors and members of the public, while protecting the organisation from potentially serious legal, financial and reputational consequences.
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