Cannock firm fined after worker's arm damaged by drill

Date:

4 March 2010

Release No:

WM484/09

A Cannock manufacturing firm has been fined a total of £40,000 after a worker's arm was seriously injured when it became trapped by a rotating drill.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Romtech Ltd, based in East Moors Road, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, in relation to the incident at its premises at Watling Street Business Park in Norton Canes, Cannock on 2 February 2009.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Romtech Ltd was fined £20,000 for each of the two breaches and ordered to pay costs of £7,401.

Stafford Magistrates' Court heard how Steven Jones, 28 from Staffordshire, an agency worker at the firm, was using a radial arm drill when his right hand glove became entangled in the rotating drill bit.

His right arm was caught and dragged into the drill, breaking both bones in his forearm, and severely damaging his muscles. His clothing was also drawn in to the machine to such an extent that he had to be cut free by the emergency services.

HSE inspector Andrew Bowker said:

"Mr Jones suffered a shocking fracture to his right arm and his injuries may have been much worse if he had not been able to use his left hand to hit the machine's stop button.

"The potential safety risks associated with entanglement on radial arm drilling machines have been well known for decades and control measures have been well documented in HSE guidance going back to the 1970s.

"It is not acceptable that this type of incident is still happening. Companies must invest sufficient time and effort in risk assessment to ensure their radial arm drills have suitable guards or trip devices in position. They must also ensure that staff are aware of the risks and that supervisors and managers monitor working procedures."

Notes to editors

1. HSE is Britain's national regulator for workplace safety and health. It aims to reduce injuries and illness in the workplace
2. Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states: Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken... which are effective... to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to any rotating stock-bar; or... to stop the movement of any dangerous part of machinery or rotating stock-bar before any part of a person enters a danger zone.
3. Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states: Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of... the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work; and... the risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking, for the purpose of identifying the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions and by Part II of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR (West Midlands)