A grounds maintenance company has been fined after a ‘much loved’ gardener was killed when a ride-on lawnmower fell on him.
Kamil Grygieniec, 23, was found face down in a village pond after he had been cutting grass on steep incline bank in North Stainley, near Ripon, North Yorkshire.
And following a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation, it was found the gardener was using the mower without a safety-critical roll-over protection system (ROPS) fitted.
MHS Countryside Management Limited has since been fined a total of £38,166 following Kamil’s death after a hearing at York Magistrates’ Court earlier this week.
The scene where Kamil Grygieniec died. (Pix via SWNS)
Kamil’s mother, Ewa, has since shared her heartbreak over her son’s death.
She said: “The pain I feel every day since that tragedy is unimaginable, I do not wish that on anybody – that day I lost part of me.
“I will never be able to hug him, tell him how much I love him.
“I will never receive flowers from him, will never meet him wife or his children. Kamil was my physical and mental support.
“That day was his last day at that workplace and it happened to be the last day of his short life.
“I don’t know what life holds for the future for me, but what I am certain of is it will not be as full or as happy now that Kamil has gone from our lives.
“What makes it even worse, I believe his death could have been prevented and should never have happened.”
Kamil Grygieniec (right) with his mum Ewa and dad Krzysztof. (Pix via SWNS)
The HSE investigation found the company failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient site-specific risk assessment for the work being undertaken.
It was 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.
According to the HSE, suitable risk assessment is essential when operating ride-on machinery, particularly while doing so on slopes or near water.
And employers must ensure equipment is appropriate for the terrain and fitted with necessary safety features to protect operators.
Emergency workers at the scene where Kamil Grygieniec died. (Pix via HSE / SWNS)
MHS Countryside Management Limited, of Bishop Auckland, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The company was fined £27,000 and ordered to pay £11,166 in costs at York Magistrates’ Court on the 17 February 2026.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Darian Dundas, said: “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.
“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.”
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