Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 5th March 2026 Issue no. 1200
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Grounds maintenance company fined after employee dies operating ride-on lawnmower
A grounds maintenance company has been fined after an employee was killed while operating a ride-on lawnmower near Ripon, North Yorkshire.
Kamil Grygieniec, 23, from Northallerton, was cutting grass around a village pond in North Stainley in October 2021 when the ride-on mower he was operating descended a steep incline and ended up in it.
The mower was being used without a safety-critical roll-over protection system (ROPS) fitted.
An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive found that MHS Countryside Management had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient site-specific risk assessment for the work being undertaken.
The investigation also established that the mower's roll-over protection system (ROPS) had been removed at some point prior to the work taking place. ROPS are designed to protect operators in the event of a machine overturning and are a critical safety feature when working on uneven or sloping ground.
Suitable risk assessment is essential when operating ride-on machinery, particularly while doing so on slopes or near water. Employers must ensure equipment is appropriate for the terrain and fitted with necessary safety features to protect operators.
MHS Countryside Management, of Bishop Auckland, pleaded guilty at York Magistrates' Court on the 17th February to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £27,000 and ordered to pay £11,166 in costs.
"This is a profoundly tragic case which is made all the more harrowing because the safety feature designed to prevent incidents like this had been removed from the lawnmower - leading to the fatal turn of events which has robbed a family of their loved one," notes HSE Inspector Darian Dundas.
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"The completion of a suitable and sufficient site-specific risk assessment is vital before undertaking work activities and ensures appropriate action can be taken to eliminate hazards or, where this is not possible, to properly control the risks.
"In this case, the failure to assess the risks and ensure suitable safety measures were in place resulted in a tragic and entirely avoidable loss of life."
Relevant guidance on risk assessment can be found at:
26th February 2026