COI/WM/197/09 29 May 2009

Coventry company prosecuted for third time over unguarded machinery

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers to make sure they have appropriate measures in place to prevent access to dangerous machinery.

It comes after an employee at the West Midlands based ‘The Amtico Company Ltd’ lost a finger. The company has been fined £75,000 and told to pay £23,721 costs.

The Amtico Company Limited, Kingfield Road, Coventry, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc 1974 at Coventry Crown Court on Thursday, 28 May 2009. It is the third time HSE has prosecuted the company for failing to guard moving parts of machinery.

On 25 September 2007, an employee was working on a ‘calendar machine’, which consists of a number of heated rollers that stretch flooring material. A strip of material failed to fall onto a return conveyor and the employee went under the machine to cut it away, but his left glove became caught between the high-speed rollers.

The employee lost his ring finger, and suffered crushing and burn injuries to his other fingers and forearm. At the time of the incident, there was no guard to prevent access to the dangerous moving parts of the machine.

Prosecuting HSE Inspector Jenny Skeldon says it could have been a lot worse.

"This man has suffered life-changing injuries," she said.

"Companies should consider all the risks associated with this type of work to prevent something like this happening.
"HSE publishes Approved Codes of Practice, guidance and information leaflets with practical advice on machinery guarding – so there is no excuse for duty holders who don’t control risks and protect their employees." 

Notes to editors

1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc 1974 states: ‘It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.’
2. HSE’s ‘Using Work Equipment Safely’ guidance can be found online at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg229.pdf

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Issued on behalf of HSE by COI West Midlands