Substantial Fine Imposed | Health and Safety Solicitors
A Blackburn based toilet roll manufacturing company has been fined after a worker was injured by its machinery.
Steven Micklewright of Kangs Solicitors sets out the circumstances.
The Circumstances | Kangs Health and Safety Team
A twenty two year old male lost the top of his right index finger when he touched a moving blade as he fed paper between two rollers as part of the manufacturing process.
The Relevant Health and Safety Law | Kangs Regulatory Law Advisors
Regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (‘the Regulation’) states:
‘every employer shall ensure that measures are taken…which are effective…to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to any retaining stock-bar…or...to stop the movement of any dangerous part of machinery or rotating stock-bar before any part of a person enters a danger zone’
The Hearing | Dangerous Machinery | Kangs Criminal Defence Solicitors
The Court heard:
- how the risk of serious injury arising from this operation had been identified by the company prior to the incident but no action was taken.
- that an investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (‘HSE’) had found it was possible for workers to place one hand on the perforating blade whilst pressing a button to move the rollers with the other.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Regulation and was fined one hundred and twenty thousand pounds and ordered to pay costs of nearly ten thousand pounds.
HSE Inspector Leona Cameron said:
“after the incident, the company moved the controls for the machine so that operators could not reach the blade when the machine was moving. Had this been done beforehand then the injury could have been avoided…companies should be aware that the HSE will not hesitate to take enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”.
How Can We Help? | Kangs Health and Safety Solicitors
Who Can I Contact For Help? | Kangs Solicitors
Please feel free to contact our team through any of the lawyers named below who will be happy to provide you with some initial advice and assistance.
Suki Randhawa
srandhawa@kangssolicitors.co.uk
0121 449 9888 | 020 7936 6396
John Veale
jveale@kangssolicitors.co.uk
020 7936 6396 | 0121 449 9888
Steven Micklewright
smicklewright@kangssolicitors.co.uk
0121 449 9888 | 020 7936 6396
