February 2013 Accidents at Work

Staffordshire firm prosecuted for guarding failure

A Staffordshire company has been fined for safety failings after a worker sustained hand injuries and lost the tip of a finger using a poorly-guarded machine.

The employee fractured his ring finger and lost the tip of his little finger following the incident.

Stafford Magistrates' Court heard that the company was trialling a new machine that forms and sand-coats bricks. The worker was taking bricks from the end of the machine's conveyer belt. As he tried to keep up with the supply of bricks his hand became trapped between the conveyor belt and the roller underneath.

He was taken to North Staffordshire Hospital where his little finger was amputated at the tip and his fractured ring finger pinned. He was unable to work for three weeks as a result of the injury.

An investigation by the HSE, established that the machine was missing suitable guarding, although the intention was to install guarding when trialling was complete. Had a guard been fitted the incident would have been avoided.

The company was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £5,464 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.

Management failings on construction accident site

A carpenter working on a house refurbishment project fell more than seven metres from the top of an unsecured ladder causing severe back injuries from which he has yet to fully recover.

The incident prompted an investigation by the HSE which concluded a prosecution against his employer, at Swansea Crown Court.

Whilst the fall was not a factor in the sentencing, the court heard the employer had not received training in the management of health and safety on construction sites and had not appointed a competent person to manage or supervise the work. He had not undertaken a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to his employees and had allowed them to alter and work on unsafe scaffolding.

The employer pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 13 (2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. He was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

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