County Antrim agricultural contractor fined for failing to maintain machinery brakes

The Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) has successfully led a prosecution against a County Antrim-based company. The case arose following the death of an employee on 15 September 2021 who was operating a tractor and manure spreader on farmland at Islandmagee, County Antrim.

On 22 March 2023 at Ballymena Magistrates Court, the Company was fined £1,000 for failing to ensure the safety of all employees by not maintaining the brakes of the manure spreader. Speaking after the hearing, Kyle Carrick, Head of HSENI’s Major Investigation Team, said “Poorly maintained or ineffective brakes have resulted in a number of fatalities and serious injuries within the agriculture sector.”