**British Airways Penalised Over £3 Million Following Serious Employee Injuries at Heathrow**
British Airways has publicly expressed “deep regret” after being handed a substantial fine of more than £3.2 million for breaches of health and safety regulations, following two incidents where employees suffered severe injuries while operating ground service equipment at Heathrow Airport.
The ruling was delivered this week at Southwark Crown Court, where the airline was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The court had been informed that two baggage handlers were injured in separate, but strikingly similar, accidents involving unsafe workplace conditions in less than a year. These incidents raised critical concerns about the safety procedures in place for staff working at height.
The first incident involved Ravinder Teji, a ground operation agent with seven years’ service, who suffered both back injuries and a head wound after tumbling roughly 1.5 metres from a loading platform known as a ‘televator’ on 25 August 2022. Several months later, on 8 March 2023, Shahjahan Malik experienced a fall of three metres whilst using a different loading device called a TLD elevator. Mr Malik sustained particularly serious injuries, including a bleed on the brain, fractures to his face and jaw, and lasting symptoms such as chronic pain and headaches.
It emerged in court that both machines, central to the process of loading baggage into aircraft holds, positioned operators between 1.5 and 3 metres above ground, but lacked adequate safety features like edge guard rails or barriers. Although such equipment is industry standard worldwide, the court concluded these safeguards had not been sufficient to prevent falls.
British Airways admitted its liability for two breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, acknowledging failures to ensure safe working conditions for its employees. Judge Brendan Finucane KC commented during sentencing, “I am satisfied that in both incidents the culpability was high”, noting that BA’s response to earlier HSE warnings had not been swift enough, despite prior inspections highlighting significant risks such as unguarded gaps on loading platforms.
The court heard harrowing details of the injuries suffered by both men. Mr Malik’s fall during adverse weather resulted not only in a life-threatening brain injury but also in extensive facial fractures, requiring his jaw to be wired shut and long-term medication to manage pain. Both men, who did not attend the sentencing hearing, continue to live with the physical and psychological effects of their accidents.
Since these incidents, British Airways has reportedly introduced a series of improvements, including the rollout of new loading platforms equipped with proper safety rails. Counsel for the company, James Leonard KC, told the court that adjustments had been made to accommodate both injured employees’ return to work in new roles, and that the company accepted full responsibility for what took place.
“Accidents should be avoidable,” Leonard stated, adding that “deep regret” was felt throughout the company in light of these serious injuries.
The HSE’s enforcement lawyer, Rebecca Schwartz, commented after the sentencing that both staff members were fortunate to have survived. She emphasised how widely known the risks of working at height are, and criticised British Airways for missing what she described as “reasonably foreseeable” hazards that could have been addressed by installing guardrails.
A spokesperson for the airline reiterated its commitment to safety, stating: “Safety is always our highest priority and we deeply regret that despite the measures we had in place, these incidents occurred. Having worked closely with the Health & Safety Executive, we have made necessary changes to our procedures.”
This case highlights ongoing concerns in the aviation industry around employee safety behind the scenes. While air travel remains one of the safest forms of transportation for passengers, this incident underscores the essential need for continual vigilance and best practices on the ground. The sizeable fine and nationwide attention may prompt further reviews of standard procedures to ensure such preventable injuries do not occur in future.