‘Nick had everything to live for’: Grieving family tell of heartache after their loved one died at West Midlands workplace
The family of a West Midlands machinist who died in a workplace incident have spoken of their grief after the company was fined £750,000
A grieving family has told of their heartbreak after a much-loved man was brutally killed when he became tangled in a 65-foot-long lathe machine.
Nick Hardiman, 54, was working the heavy-duty piece of machinery at Somers Forge Limited, in Prospect Road, Halesowen, when he sustained the fatal injuries.
The machinist, from Kidderminster, had been using a handheld emery cloth to finish off a rotating metal component when he became entangled in the lathe's dangerous moving parts.
His family have since expressed their heartbreak with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) calling his death 'entirely preventable'.
Somers Forge Limited have since been fined £750,000 and ordered to pay £38,314 in costs following a hearing at Walsall Magistrates’ Court on 18 February 2026.
Nick's devastated partner Melanie, said: “Nick had everything to live for - a loving home and a partner who adored him, family and friends, and a fulfilling life ahead of him.
"We used to have a life, now I just exist.
"I will forever miss the sound of his voice, the smell of his aftershave, the feel of his cuddles and kisses, and the times we would spend together.”
The machinist's father Michael, said: “We feel very proud when we speak about Nick, but it really hurts to talk. We think about Nick every single day.”
His siblings Robert, Glenis, Lorraine, and David, also said: “We can’t comprehend how someone can go to work and not come home again. Everyone is absolutely devastated.”
Emergency services scrambled to the scene after reports of the incident which happened on December 8, 2023 but Nick sadly died later that evening.
An investigation was subsequently opened by HSE which found that Somers Forge Limited had failed to implement several safety guidelines.
These included, prohibiting the use of handheld emery cloth on lathes, preventing access to dangerous moving parts of the lathe, and ensuring personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by workers did not create risk of being injured by, or drawn into, the lathe.
They also found the company failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the lathe or establish a safe operating procedure.
Somers Forge Limited later pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
HSE Inspector Sophie Neale said: “This was an entirely preventable incident which has had tragic consequences.
"Employers must ensure that safe systems of work are in place and that workers are not exposed to foreseeable risks from dangerous machinery.
"My thoughts are with Nick’s family and friends.”
According to the HSE, it is never acceptable to apply emery cloth by hand to a rotating component, as there is a risk of the operator becoming entangled or dragged into the danger zone.
