Company fined £30,000 after agency worker loses arm in workplace incident

Date:

30 May 2008

Release No:

HSE/NW/004/PROS/AIRBAGS/2008

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reminded companies of their responsibility to provide a safe working environment following the prosecution of a Cheshire company after a man lost his arm when it became trapped in machinery.

Airbags International Limited of Viking Way, Congleton, Cheshire, which manufactures components for vehicle safety airbags was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £4,500 costs when they appeared at Chester Crown Court sentencing.

The company had pleaded guilty at Crewe Magistrates Court to a charge under Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 that it failed to ensure a person not in their employment was not exposed to risks to their health and safety.

The court heard that agency worker Oliver Britton was working at the factory on the 3 September 2007 when he was tasked with changing a roll of fabric on a machine. Oliver Britton was holding the fabric in place on the machine in the ‘danger area’ when a colleague started up the machine and Mr Britton’s right arm became trapped. He was taken to hospital with severe injuries including several compound fractures and endured 11 hours of operations before his arm was amputated.

Health and Safety Executive Inspector Iain Evans said:

"This was an entirely avoidable incident. Oliver Britton has suffered the loss of an arm because the company failed to provide a safe working environment.

"This should serve as a timely warning to all companies that they have a clear responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their work force. There is plenty of guidance available from within the industry and HSE on how to comply with the law."

The court heard that because of problems ensuring adequate adhesion when fitting new rolls, it was common for a person to hold the fabric in place in the ‘danger zone’ while the machine was started. This procedure had been in place for three years, with supervisors aware of the practice. The company had carried out a risk assessment but this assessment failed to identify the risk.

Notes to editors

1. Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Section 3 (1) says:
   
   "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety".
2. Further information on working with machinery is available from health and safety at work see www.hse.gov.uk

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