The Swindon explosion is wake-up call for machinery safety

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued an urgent warning to all businesses following an explosion at a print facility on the Groundwell Industrial Estate in Swindon.

The incident, which occurred on 24 September 2025, involved a sublimation calendar machine manufactured by Diferro. While no injuries were reported, the explosion has prompted serious concern about the safety of similar equipment still in operation across the UK.

The HSE has since updated its Product Safety Report and advised that all businesses using these machines should  immediately cease operation until a second independent Safety-Related Control System (SRCS) has been installed and validated by a competent person.

The HSE has directly contacted all known users instructing them to ensure they have referenced this guidance and cease operations if they are in any doubt.  The regulator is contacting known users and working with UK border officials to prevent further importation of the affected models.

Machinery incidents often stem from a combination of design flaws, inadequate maintenance, insufficient operator training, and weak control systems. These are not isolated failings, they are weaknesses that can exist in any organisation where machinery plays a central role.

For businesses, this incident serves as a stark reminder that compliance is not a one-time tick box exercise. Machinery that once met safety standards can quickly become non-compliant as technology evolves, guidance is updated, or components deteriorate.

The HSE’s swift and public response demonstrates the regulator’s increasing expectation that employers take ownership of machinery risk, not only by following existing guidance, but by continually reviewing it.

At Ranmoor Health and Safety, we support organisations that rely on complex or high-risk machinery. Our experience shows that incidents like this are rarely the result of a single failure. Instead, they are the product of gaps in systems that go unnoticed until something goes wrong.

A robust machinery safety framework should begin with a full understanding of the risks associated with each piece of equipment. This includes reviewing all safety-related control systems, assessing how changes to machinery or processes are managed, and ensuring that every operator and maintenance technician is properly trained.

Documentation, too, plays a critical role. Detailed records of inspections, servicing, training, and risk assessments not only support legal compliance but demonstrate a proactive commitment to safety should the HSE conduct an investigation.

A culture of vigilance, where safety systems are actively monitored, reviewed, and improved, is essential.

Businesses that invest in this culture do more than avoid fines and enforcement. They create safer workplaces, protect their people, and demonstrate leadership in an increasingly scrutinised regulatory environment. For companies operating in manufacturing, printing, engineering, and other machinery-intensive industries, this level of diligence is not optional. It is a vital part of sustainable, responsible operation.

Ranmoor Health and Safety provides specialist health and safety consultancy for organisations that use complex or high-risk machinery. Our services include on-site machinery safety audits, training for operators and maintenance teams, and independent reviews of safety-related control systems.

We work with leadership teams to strengthen safety culture, improve compliance, and build confidence that systems are fit for purpose.

The events in Swindon serve as a timely reminder that machinery safety cannot be left to chance. Whether your business operates a single piece of specialist equipment or an entire production line, now is the moment to review your processes, validate your controls, and ensure that your people are protected.

For guidance or to arrange a machinery safety review, contact Ranmoor Health and Safety.