Employee loses three fingers at Heywood factory

Date:

25 November 2011

A Rochdale engineering firm has been prosecuted after a 21-year-old employee had three fingers cut off by an industrial saw at its factory.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought the case against Adelaide Engineering Company Ltd after the worker, from Bury, lost parts of three fingers on his left hand at the plant on Aspinall Street in Heywood.

Trafford Magistrates' Court was told the blade was 64cm long but was being used to cut a piece of steel with a width of just 5cm. There was no adjustable guard in place around the part of the blade not being used, putting workers at risk.

The employee had not received any instructions or training on how to safely use the saw

The HSE investigation found the employee had not received any instructions or training on how to safely use the saw, which rotates the blade at high speed. He had also been left unsupervised at the time on the incident on 21 October 2010.

The company, of Taynton in Burford, Oxfordshire, admitted breaching Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The charges relate to failing to adequately assess the risks workers faced, and failing to take action to ensure the safety of employees.

Adelaide Engineering Company Ltd, which produces materials for the aerospace, nuclear, oil and gas industries, was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £2,514 in prosecution costs on 25 November 2011.

Speaking after the hearing, the investigating inspector at HSE, Laura Moran, said:

"It's astonishing that an employee was left to work unsupervised on the saw, despite not having any previous experience or receiving any training on how to use it safely.

"As a result, he has lost parts of three fingers on his left hand and will have to live with the injury for the rest of his life.

"Engineering firms must treat the safety of workers as their top priority. It's vital they properly assess the risks posed by machines to make sure employees aren't put in danger."

Information on improving safety in the manufacturing industry is available at www.hse.gov.uk/manufacturing.

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 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..."
3. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
4. HSE news releases are available at www.hse.gov.uk/press.

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