Mansfield firm fined after man is seriously injured

Date:

17 December 08

Release No:

HSE/EM/190/08

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today urged companies to take worker safety seriously after a man had his fingers crushed when they got drawn into machinery at a Mansfield transport engineering factory.

W H Davis Ltd of Langwith Road, Langwith Junction was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £2,380.75p full costs by Mansfield magistrates today after breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for failing to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its employees

On 19 September 2007, while working on a three roll bending machine, Matthew Parker, 19, of Mansfield Woodhouse had his hand crushed after his left hand glove was drawn into a rolling machine.

The injuries to Mr Parker were so severe they resulted in multiple fractures to all four fingers and the amputation of the tip of the little finger on his left hand. The first three fingers were crushed so badly they were split open to the bone while the thumb was split on one side. Mr Parker was detained in hospital for five days and had two operations to his fingers. He has been unable to work since the accident and will be undergoing further treatment in the New Year.

Maureen Kingman, principal inspector of Health and Safety for Nottingham, said: "For a young man who works with his hands and needs dexterity, these are the most debilitating of injuries which could have been avoided if the company had safe systems of work in place.

"All companies should ensure that work is risk assessed and appropriate measures are put in place so that workers' safety is not compromised. There were a number of failures in WH Davis' safe systems including failure to train a new member of staff and failure to ensure that the machine stopped immediately when the emergency trip device was activated."

Notes to editors

1. W H Davis Ltd manufactures various transport engineering products, including marine containers, railway wagons and industrial trailers.
2. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 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."

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Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG

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Issued on behalf of COI East Midlands.