A BUSINESS owner died at work when he slipped and fell on a guillotine.

Alan Dinsdale, 56, who lived in the South Green area of Billericay, was found dead at his printing warehouse near Wickford.

The printer, who had run A & S Print Services for nearly seven years in Fanton Hall Farm industrial estate, had his neck slashed on the cutting equipment on Tuesday, January 21.

Essex Police and the ambulance service were called to the scene at about 12.30pm but he was confirmed dead at the scene.

An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned on Monday. 

It heard a post mortem examination showed he had died of his wounds and his body had also gone into shock.

Traders on the rural industrial estate, which is based on farmland just off the A127, described Mr Dinsdale as a kind-hearted and pleasant man.

One said: “He was a lovely really nice bloke. There are a lot of nice things to say about him. What has happened has come as a big shock.”

Bosses at Fanton Hall Farm said they had passed their sympathies on to Mr Dinsdale’s family.

An investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety Executive, which is the independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness.

A spokesperson refused to say anything further.

A spokesperson for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “We sent an ambulance and ambulance officer to the scene but there was sadly nothing that could be done and the person was confirmed deceased at the scene.”

Essex Police moved in to decontaminate the area on Monday. 

A spokesperson said: “His death is not being treated as suspicious and a report has been filed to the coroner.”