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Peterborough company fined after new dad died in firework factory explosion
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By Kris Paterson in UK Business News, posted April 4, 2023
A Peterborough company has been fined £500,000 after a “kind, gentle, funny” young father was killed in an explosion at a firework factory.
Brendan Ledgister, 24, was working for Le Maitre Ltd in Peterborough on October 2, 2018, when the incident happened.
Peterborough Magistrates Court heard how Mr. Ledgister was making a pyrotechnic composition, which then caught fire and caused an explosion.
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He suffered serious burns and, tragically, died the next day.
The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which determined the company’s system for working with explosive materials was not safe.
It found the tools he was given were not suitable for handing the explosive materials and that the facility where he was working was not of an appropriate standard.
The HSE also found the company failed to provide him with adequate training and he was not appropriately supervised.
The company, which changed its name to LM140121 Limited, was found guilty of breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act as, on and prior to the 2 October 2018, they failed in their duties to ensure so far as reasonably practicable the health, safety and welfare of their employees, and hence were found guilty of under section 33(1)(a) of the Act.
The company was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,788.65.
However, those fines will never be paid as the company has now been liquidated.
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Speaking after the hearing the HM Inspector of Health and Safety, Stuart Charles, said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Brendan’s family.
“While the explosive sector in the UK is relatively small and incidents relatively uncommon, when they do occur they often result in significant injury or death.
“This case should reinforce the message to the sector that appropriate precautions must be maintained or an event such as this is likely.”
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“It was the worst day of my life”
Mr. Ledgister’s father Gladstone paid tribute to his son.
He said the 24-year-old was “kind, gentle and funny.”
He said: “It was the worst day in my life.
“My only son and best friend died.
“The suffering is still embedded in my mind and will never leave me until I die.
“He was such a nice boy, he was kind, gentle, funny, and happy – and its all been taken away from us – especially from his daughter.
"She didn’t even know him.”
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