Emma Bridgewater Fined £266,000 After Snow Machine Incident Injures Girl
Ceramics company pleads guilty to safety violations after a 12-year-old was hospitalized when artificial snow machine fell from factory window.
Emma Bridgewater Limited has been fined £266,666 and ordered to pay £4,931 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge after a 12-year-old girl was injured at a Christmas event at its factory.
The incident occurred on November 23, 2024, during a Christmas lights switch-on at the company's factory in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. An artificial snow machine fell from a window above the gift shop, striking a light and sending a shard of broken glass towards the girl, causing a deep gash to her head. She was taken to the hospital following the incident.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and found that the company had not properly assessed the risks associated with the snow machine. Organizers failed to secure the machine adequately, despite manufacturer instructions detailing safe installation procedures.
At Birmingham Magistrates' Court, Emma Bridgewater Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Work at Height regulations and the Health and Safety at Work Act. HSE inspector Rob Gidman stated that the haphazard planning of the event led to the injury and that the incident could have been avoided with proper planning and securing of the machine.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Emma Bridgewater expressed deep regret for the incident and the injury sustained. The company stated it has cooperated with the HSE investigation and accepts the penalty imposed.
The company, founded by Emma Bridgewater in 1985, is known for its distinct ceramic designs. The notes also indicate that the company has faced financial challenges in recent years, including increased production costs, rising raw material and energy expenses, and competition from cheaper suppliers, which contributed to redundancies in 2024.