Kent printers fined for putting workers at risk

Date:

15 March 2011

Release No:

COISE/1503

A Tunbridge Wells printing firm has been fined after intentionally removing safety guards from its printing machines, potentially putting staff at risk of injury.

Printwells Limited, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for not ensuring machinery guards were in place when employees used the machines, despite being served two Improvement Notices for the same offence in 2003.

Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court heard that on the 13 April 2010 two HSE Inspectors visited the company's premises unannounced.

The Inspectors found machine guards, known as safety interlocks, had been deactivated on two machines. The guards should have been in place to protect employees from accessing dangerous parts of the machinery.

HSE's investigation found the interlocks had been removed to allow the supervisor for the department to undertake routine maintenance work, found to be common practise within the Tunbridge Wells branch of Printwells.

Printwells Limited, of Chapman Way, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent pleaded guilty to two counts of regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The firm was fined a total of £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,500.

HSE's inspector Guy Widdowson said:

"Printwell employees were needlessly put at risk. There could easily have been a serious injury during the maintenance of these machines. It is purely down to luck that a serious incident did not occur at this company before.

"As this case demonstrates, HSE will take robust enforcement action against any company found removing safety devices, whether an injury has occurred or not."

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. Section 11(1) (a) 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."

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR South East