Dyson has admitted health and safety failings after an employee was injured when a 1.5-tonne machine toppled over.

Barry Miles was working at Dyson’s Malmesbury headquarters on August 27, 2019, when the milling machine toppled as it was being moved.

It knocked him unconscious, and he suffered rib and shoulder injuries, as well as a wound to his head.

Inspectors found that the use of jacks and skates for moving machines is common, but criticised the fact that four jacks, one in each corner to counter the risk of instability, was not used.

The company has now pleaded guilty to failing to discharge general health, safety and welfare duty to an employee, and face a fine.

Swindon Magistrates’ Court heard on Monday that the company failed to ensure a lifting operation was carried out in a safe manner.

Ben Compton QC, on behalf of the company, said that the firm immediately took steps to fix the situation, with a new training programme and risk assessment system.

“Everyone was really shocked this had been allowed to occur, and embarrassed, and relieved there hadn’t been a fatality,” he told the court.

“This was a massive wake-up call. No expense is spared; it’s nothing to do with money, or profit before safety.”

After the incident, the Health and Safety Executive was informed and conducted an investigation.

It was heard that from 2018, employees using a forklift truck were required to fill out a risk assessment and method statement for the health and safety department to review 72 hours in advance, and larger machinery would be moved by contractors.

These breaches took place over approximately a year.

But after a permit process was implemented, there was a perception that 72 hours did not allow sufficient time to prepare documentation.

After an employee said that they had been asked to move more machinery than normal, the company, based at Tetbury Hill, accepted this method was not one of the legitimate methods identified and that there was a failure to properly plan lifting operations.

In mitigation, Mr Compton said that it was “very noticeable” that a company of Dyson’s size has no previous breaches or enforcement history.

He said the company was fully compliant with the HSE investigation, it had acknowledge its own shortcomings and Mr Miles was paid in full while off.

The employee has since been promoted – due to good performance.

He rejected prosecutor Robin Havard’s assertion it was a high culpability case, saying no concerns were ignored and there was no systemic failings.

Mr Compton also asked District Judge Joanna Dickens to take into account the good character of the firm, citing its £20 million investment on a “pro bono basis” whilst trying to develop a new ventilator for the NHS to use during the coronavirus pandemic.

It was not used and that investment was “written off”.

“There was no attempt to recoup that money,” he told the court.

“The financial penalty is there to remind everyone about health and safety. It has to be relevant and relative to the size of the company.

“Reputational damage for Dyson is more important. That is why such senior members of Dyson are here today.”

The court also heard that there had been four other injuries at work between 2019 and 2021, whilst were trips and slips.

Concluding the hearing, DJ Dickens said: “I can’t make my decision today, it’s going to have to be a written decision.

“Whatever I decide to do it is going to be a big number of some kind.”

She said it was important that “everyone knows” she had made a “careful decision” on it.

DJ Dickens will hand down her judgement via video link on Wednesday next week (August 3).