Worker paralysed after being crushed by reel of paper

Date:

3 December 2010

Release No:

LE806W10

An employee of a major paper producer in North Wales has been left paralysed from the chest down after being crushed by a two tonne reel of paper.

Christopher John Shaw, from Wirral, was working as an assistant winder for SCA Hygiene Products UK Ltd when the incident occurred on 29 July 2007.

The company was today prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and fined £120,000 at Mold Crown Court.

Mr Shaw (38) was involved in producing and preparing paper reels at the firm's site in Oakenholt, Flint. He was using his body weight to slow down a moving paper reel when he slipped. The reel, which was around two metres in diameter, then rolled onto him causing serious crush injuries which left him with paralysis.

SCA Hygiene Products pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was also ordered to pay full costs of £18,514.

HSE inspector Will Gretton said:

"Employees using their body weight to slow down such large and potentially dangerous items as paper reels, clearly isn't a safe way of working.

"There were clear risks that weren't properly managed by the company, which resulted in Mr Shaw's horrific injuries.

"The consequences of this incident could have been even more serious. The company has now put into place more effective measures to protect the health and safety of their employees, unfortunately too late for Mr Shaw."

Employers can obtain information on managing risk from the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk

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. www.hse.gov.uk
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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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR Wales