Solihull hammer firm hit with fine after worker injures hand

Date:

11 March 2010

Release No:

WM643/09

A Solihull hammer manufacturer has been fined after an employee suffered severe injuries when his hand was caught in an industrial drill.

Solihull magistrates heard Aaron Watts was working at the Shirley based Thor Hammer Company on 6 November 2008. Mr Watts was operating an unguarded pedestal drilling machine when the glove on his right hand became entangled in one of the rotating spindles of the drill.

Mr Watts suffered injuries to the back of his right hand and a deep laceration to the palm. His injuries were so severe that he was off work for a month.

Thor Hammer Company Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and fined £2,500. It was also ordered to pay £2,594 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Clive Neil said:

"Once again we have an incident of an employee who suffered serious injury simply because there wasn't the necessary protection around the drill. Mr Watts is lucky he didn't lose a finger or worse.

"This offence is all the more serious because the company had received previous advice from HSE about the need to guard its drilling machines - and had even identified the need in its own risk assessment - but did not do it.

"It would have cost far less than the fine handed out today to install the required protection. Only weeks before the offence the company received a quote to fit a suitable guard at a cost of only £165."

Notes to editors

1. Section 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.

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