Crumlin company fined after worker loses parts of fingers in machinery

Date:

25 September 2009

Release No:

488/W/09

Machinery workings must be guarded to prevent operatives contacting dangerous parts the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said.

The warning comes after a company was fined for an incident in which a worker lost part of three fingers as he was attempting to clean a probe on a bagging machine at a plastics factory in Crumlin on 13 October 2008.

A dangerous moving part of the machine was left unguarded and there were no systems put in place by the company at the time of the accident for cleaning and maintenance of the machine.

A. Schulman Inc. Ltd of Croespenmaen Industrial Estate, pleaded guilty to three health and safety charges at a hearing before magistrates in Abertillery on Thursday (24 September) and were fined a total of £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,827.80.

HSE Inspector Mike Batt said:

"Our investigation showed that employees of this company were not aware of the dangers of putting their hands inside this machine, and there was no guarding to stop them from accessing dangerous areas."

"There was also no clear procedure for cleaning and maintaining the machinery which meant that when operators attempted to clean the probe, they were running the risk of serious injury."

The company admitted one charge under Regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, relating to a failure to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

They also pleaded guilty to a charge under the Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and a further charge under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Notes to editors

Details of the charges are as follows:

• Regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, states that every employer shall ensure that measures are taken which are effective to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery. (The company were fined £3,300 for this charge).
• Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, states that every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of its employees to which they are exposed whilst at work. (The company were fined £3,300 for this charge).
• Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, as amended, states that 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 its employees. (The company were fined £11400 for this charge).

Press enquiries

Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.

Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR Wales.