A LEOMINSTER business which has been fined more than £280,000 after a worker suffered fatal crush injuries said it is 'absolutely committed' to ensuring nothing similar ever happens again.

Thomas Panels and Profiles Limited employee Jeffery Warner was seriously injured while using industrial machinery at the company premises in Leominster on April 28 2015.

The 65-year-old was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham by air ambulance but he sadly later died.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found the machine had been in operation since 2013 and did not have suitable safeguards to prevent the risk of crushing injuries.

It was also found that the company failed to undertake an adequate risk assessment and its system of work was generally unsafe.

Thomas Panels and Profiles Limited, based on Southern Avenue, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and has been fined £285,000 and ordered to pay costs of £29,961.48.

Following the hearing, the company released a statement which paid tribute to Mr Warner, who had been with the firm for more than seven years, and outlined its cooperation with the HSE.

On behalf of the Thomas family, Richie Thomas said: "As a family we greatly valued Jeff’s guidance and significant contribution to the company, as well as his friendship; we are personally absolutely devastated by his passing and the circumstances of his death.

"Jeff is never far from our thoughts, and our thoughts have been very much with his family who have faced such an ordeal over the last 28 months.

"We are relieved for them that the court hearings are now over and hope that it will help them to have the time to mourn the loss of Jeff, who was a loving and devoted father and grandfather."

The company said in Jeff’s memory they are 'absolutely committed' to doing all they can to ensure that nothing ever happens again.

"We have cooperated fully with the Health and Safety Executive’s investigation into the circumstances of this tragic accident and continue to monitor and review procedures to ensure that Health and Safety of our staff remains at the heart of our business," he added.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Tariq Khan said those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary safeguards, information, instruction and training to their workers.

"This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and provide the necessary safeguards,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Warner's family paid tribute to an 'amazing person' in a statement released following the hearing.

They said: "Jeffery Warner was a loving father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle and a friend. Not a day goes by when he is not in our thoughts and we find it very difficult on a daily basis not to pick up the phone to talk to him or ask him a question.

"He was so skilful and his knowledge was exceptional. The past two years have been very emotional and we all miss him dearly."