Worker snaps wrist after glove tangled in drill

Date:

29 October 2010

Release No:

W2510AP

A Cardiff manufacturing firm has been fined after a worker broke his wrist when his glove became entangled in an unguarded drill.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Elmatic (Cardiff) Ltd following the incident at its factory in Wentloog Road, Rumney on 11 March 2009.

Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard that 21-year-old employee Lee Baker had been asked to drill holes in metal boxes despite not usually working with the drill and having no formal training on how to use it.

The pillar drill Mr Baker was using did not have an appropriate guard fitted and when positioning one of the components for drilling his glove became tangled. He fractured his wrist in two places and needed to have plates inserted.

HSE had previously taken formal action against the company, in 2002 and 2009, to ensure that drills were adequately guarded.

Elmatic (Cardiff) Ltd, registered to Wyndham Crescent, Canton, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to a charge under Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. They were fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £6,691.45 costs.

HSE inspector Hugh Emment said:

"HSE has warned this company before about not providing suitable guards on drills of this type, and while they did initially heed these warnings, the safety standards were not maintained.

"Mr Baker had not been trained to use this drill, nor had he been told about the dangers of wearing gloves while using drills. This is a well known risk in the manufacturing industry, and it resulted in a serious injury to Mr Baker."

In March 2002, Elmatic (Cardiff) Ltd received an immediate prohibition notice relating to the use and guarding of three pillar drills, and this was followed by written advice from an HSE inspector. During the investigation in to the incident on 11 March 2009 the company received an immediate prohibition notice, on 24 April 2009, for failures relating to guarding on a pillar drill and deficiencies in operator training.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. http://www.hse.gov.uk/
2. Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states: 11. - Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken...which are effective - (a) to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to any rotating stock-bar; or (b) to stop the movement of any dangerous part of machinery or rotating stock-bar before any part of a person enters a danger zone. Details of the prohibition notices can be found on HSE's online Public Register of Notice History. The 2002 notice is at http://www.hse.gov.uk/noticeshistory/notices/Notice_details.asp ?SF=CN&SV=110004988 and the 2009 notice at http://www.hse.gov.uk/notices/notices/Notice_details.asp?SF=CN&SV= 301928582

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