Hanley ceramics company fined over £200k after girl, 12, injured by falling glass
Stoke-on-Trent ceramics manufacturer Emma Bridgewater has been fined £266,666
Last updated 7th Jul 2026
Ceramics manufacturer Emma Bridgewater has been ordered to pay a fine of more than £265,000 after a girl was injured by broken glass at a Christmas lights switch-on event at its factory.
The 12-year-old was at the festive event at the Emma Bridgewater premises in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, on November 23 2024 when an artificial snow machine fell out of a window above the gift shop and hit a light, sending a shard of broken glass towards her.
The girl needed hospital treatment for a deep cut to her head, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.
Emma Bridgewater Limited was fined £266,666 and ordered to pay costs of £4,931 and a victim surcharge of £2,000 after pleading guilty at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday to breaching Work at Height regulations and the Health and Safety at Work law.
An investigation by the HSE found Emma Bridgewater Limited had not properly assessed the risks of using the snow machine and had failed to make sure it was properly secured to prevent it from falling out of the window – despite the manufacturer’s instructions explaining how to safely install it.
HSE inspector Rob Gidman said after the court hearing: “What should have been a festive event was marred by haphazard planning which left a young girl needing hospital treatment.
“Had the positioning of the snow machine been properly planned and the machine itself been properly secured, this incident could have been avoided entirely – and it’s fortunate the victim did not sustain more serious injuries.
“Christmas gatherings are a happy occasion but it’s vital organisers thoroughly assess the risks and put in place measures to minimise the risk of harm to the public.”
In a statement, a spokesman for Emma Bridgewater said: “Emma Bridgewater Limited and everyone connected with the company deeply regrets the incident on 23 November 2024 and the injury suffered by a visitor to our Christmas event.
“The company has co-operated with the Health and Safety Executive throughout its investigation into the incident and accepts the penalty imposed.”