The grieving fiancée of a recycling factory worker crushed to death in malfunctioning equipment has called for all companies to raise their health and safety standards as she described a pain that "will never go away."
Dale McClelland died on November 16, 2017 after becoming trapped within a baling machine he was operating at H&A Recycling Limited on Cardrew Industrial Estate, Redruth.
On Friday the company - which has since been taken over - was sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court to pay a £200,000 fine with additional costs of almost £46,000, in what is believed to be the first prosecution for corporate manslaughter within the Devon and Cornwall area under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
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Speaking after the sentencing, Dale's fiancée Cory - with whom he had a young daughter, and had been due to marry last year - paid tribute to a "family man with a heart of gold" and urged all companies to ensure standards of health and safety were the highest they could be.
She said: “Dale was an amazing son, dad, brother, fiancé, uncle, grandson, nephew, godfather, cousin and friend.
“He was kind-hearted and would go out of his way for anyone he met. He had a heart of gold and was always the life and soul of the party.
“Dale was a very family-oriented man and he will forever be missed and always loved by all of his family and friends. It is a pain in our hearts that will never go away.
“As a family we hope this horrendous situation makes other companies step up and make sure that their health and safety is at the highest standard it can be.”
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