Engineering company fined after worker fatally injured
An engineering company has been fined for breaching health and safety regulations after a 62-year old worker was struck and killed at the companies East Kilbride workshop.
The employee in question was in the process of helping a colleague move piping from one part of the yard to another. The colleague used a side loader to lift the pipes which caused them to roll off the machinery and injure the worker’s leg. The loader also hit a wooden bearer which also struck the worker, causing fatal head injuries.
An investigation by the HSE found that method of moving the pipes was not safe as there was no way of securing the pipe to the side loader.
The engineering company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They received a fine of £60,000.
At the conclusion of the case lead HSE inspector Martin McMahon said: ‘This tragic incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.’
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Tree service company fined after worker suffers finger amputation
A tree surgeon was grievously injured while splitting logs at a tree services company in Lapford, Devon. The 33-year old tree surgeon was placing and removing logs from a log splitting machine when his hand became stuck in the machinery. Once his hand had been freed from the machine the worker realised that his index finger and the tip of his middle finger had been severed.
An investigation by the HSE found that the unguarded splitting machine presented a risk to the workers and the presence of an additional worker loading the logs increased the likelihood of an injury.
The tree service company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(2) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were handed a £3100 fine and ordered to pay additional costs of £6,019.
In summing up the case HSE inspector Paul Mannell said: ‘This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures for machinery guarding and safe working practices. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.’
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Manufacturing company fined after worker’s leg crushed
A packaging manufacturing company employee received life-changing injuries after his leg became trapped between an automated transfer car and a conveyor at the companies Hartlepool site.
An investigation by the HSE found that the company failed to assess the risks involved with the transfer cars when the site was originally purchased and had subsequently failed to conduct a safety audit on the machinery in the 9 years since. Although an audit had been conducted a month prior to the incident, no action had been taken to remediate the issues found.
The packaging manufacturing company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were fined £60,000 and were ordered to pay additional costs of £1,513.
Commenting on the case, Lead HSE Inspector Jonathan Wills stated: ‘A worker was left with serious life-changing injuries because of this incident. Injuries which could have very easily been avoided had the recommendations made in the assessment been acted upon’.