A St Helens napkin and tablecloth manufacturer has been fined £30,000 after a worker lost three fingers when her hand was crushed between two printer rollers.
Emboss (Europe) Ltd, which produces paper tablecloths, napkins and placemats was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at Parr Industrial Estate on 7 January 2009.
Liverpool Crown Court heard 43-year-old mother-of-three Cheryl Bridge from St Helens was cleaning the rollers while they were still operating. The cloth caught between the rollers and her hand was pulled in as she tried to retrieve it.
The rollers which caused Mrs Bridge's injuries
Mrs Bridge suffered serious injuries to her right hand which resulted in her little finger being cut off, and her first and third fingers being severed below the second joint.
The court was told that the machine had been installed in May 2008 but the guard, designed to fit between the rollers, was not used and was left hanging down the side of the machine.
The HSE investigation discovered the rollers were nearly always cleaned while the machine was still operating at full speed, rather than being stopped in stages as was meant to happen. A spatula, instead of a cloth, should also have been used to remove the dust and ink spots from the rollers to reduce the risk of something becoming caught.
Emboss (Europe) Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for failing to ensure the safety of workers. The company, of Cornwall Street in St Helens, was ordered to pay £12,549 towards the cost of the prosecution in addition to the fine.
Mrs Bridge said: "My life has completely changed since the incident. Not only can I not work, but I also can't do everyday things that people take for granted, like cooking, cleaning, writing and even picking things up. If it wasn't for the support of my family, who do most things for me now, I would be relying on the support of carers for the rest of my life.
"Losing the use of your hand after 43 years is incredibly hard to adjust to and I still instinctively try to use it before realising that I can't. It's heartbreaking. I was only in hospital for a few days after the incident, but its effects will be with me for the rest of my life.
"It's just not worth companies being lax about health and safety. People think health and safety is about officials going over the top and trying to make things difficult, but its importance cannot be over-estimated. If you don't get it right, you can ruin someone's life."
John McGrellis, HSE Principal Inspector, said:
"This was a basic error that has ultimately led to a worker suffering terrible injuries to her right hand, which could and should have been prevented.
"Employees at the factory should never have been allowed to clean the rollers while they were still operating at full speed, and certainly not without there being a guard in place.
"The risk of fingers, hair or clothes being pulled in between rollers is well known in the manufacturing industry so it's vital that firms take the proper safety precautions."
A total of 25 workers were killed and more than 4,000 suffered major injuries in the manufacturing industry in Great Britain last year. Information on preventing injuries is available at www.hse.gov.uk/manufacturing.
Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.
Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News & PR North West
Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office who act as HSE's Press Office throughout Great Britain.
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