![Scene of the incident [HSE]](/assets/news_articles/2026/02/1771487341_mhs.png)
Kamil Grygieniec, aged 23 and from Northallerton, was cutting grass around a village pond in North Stainley, near Ripon, on 8th 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 (HSE) found that the mower鈥檚 roll-over protection system (ROPS) had actually 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 considered to be a critical safety feature when working on uneven or sloping ground.
The HSE established that the maintenance contractor had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient site-specific risk assessment for the work being undertaken.
MHS Countryside Management Limited, of Bishop Auckland, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined 拢27,000 and ordered to pay 拢11,166 in costs at York Magistrates鈥� Court on the 17th February 2026.
HSE inspector Darian Dundas said after the hearing: 鈥淭his 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 鈥� leading to the fatal turn of events which has robbed a family of their loved one.
鈥淭he 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.
鈥淚n 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.鈥�
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