Company heads prosecuted over hydraulic press injury

Date:

27 August 2010

Release No:

YH/207/10

Two Leeds-based company directors have been prosecuted after an employee had his fingers crushed in a hydraulic press.

The 57-year-old worker, who asked not be named, had the ends of two fingers severed in the incident in April 2009 at Lupton Fabrications Ltd, a metal fabricating company formerly owned by Dennis Brunt and Peter Critchard.

During its investigations, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is prosecuting the case, found the photoelectric detectors, called light curtains, used to protect workers from the closing tools of the press, were not operational at the time of the incident and had been routinely over-ridden for a number of years.

Leeds magistrates heard the light curtains only became operational again following the serving of prohibition notices as part of HSE's investigation.

Today, Dennis Brunt, was found guilty of breaching regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, as a former director of Lupton Fabrications Ltd. Peter Critchard was also found guilty of the same breach as a former fellow director of the company which operated from Unit A, Aquatite House, Water Lane, Leeds.

Stealsafe Ltd, Dennis Brunt and Peter Critchard's new company, was also found guilty of breaching the same regulation.

The two directors and Stealsafe Ltd were jointly fined £2,001 and ordered to pay £250 costs.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Angus Robbins said:

"This incident is unacceptable, this employee lost his fingertips but he could have lost most of his hand and suffered severe injury."

"Preventing access to dangerous moving parts by having operational guards or other protective devices is essential. The standards of protection for hydraulic presses are well known within engineering businesses."

"The fact the light curtains were in place and were readily repaired following the serving of the prohibition notices means this terrible incident could - and should - have been prevented."

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. 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 (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."
3. For further information on health and safety in engineering workshops visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg129.htm

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