Paper firm fined after worker suffers severe hand injuries

Date:

20 May 2011

Release No:

HSE/EM/191/11

A paper firm has been fined after a Derbyshire worker suffered severe and permanent hand injuries.

Maintenance fitter David Millband, 46, of Chapel-en-le-Frith, was seriously injured when his right hand was caught in a reel-fed machine at The Crimped Paper Works Limited, Bowden Lane, Chapel-en-le-Frith, on 16 February 2010, which makes paper baking cases.

He lost three fingers, partially severed his thumb, suffered injuries to his little finger and underwent two surgeries. He went back to work on light duties approximately four months after the incident but was made redundant when the company went into administration in January.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated the incident, today told Buxton Magistrates that Mr Millband had been carrying out a visual check of the reel-fed machine when he noticed that the paper had come loose. When he opened the door of the machine, it kept running and his fingers became caught. The doors to the machine had interlocks for safety, but these had been overridden.

After today's hearing, HSE inspector Fiona Coffey said:

"The incident was completely preventable. The company had a legal duty to prevent access to the dangerous parts of their machinery, but provided engineers with keys which could override the interlocks. There had been a similar incident five months earlier which had resulted in lesser injuries but, while the company had purchased a new system for the interlocks, they had not made this operational by the time of the second incident.

"The risks of overriding interlocks are well documented by the HSE and Mr Millband's employers failed to ensure that measures were taken to prevent access to the dangerous parts of the machinery. As a result, a man has suffered a life-changing injury and has been unable to perform everyday tasks ever since."

The Crimped Paper Works Limited, of Chapel-en-le-Frith, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £3,956.

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 that: Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken in accordance with paragraph (2) 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.

Press enquiries

Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.

Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News & PR East Midlands