Manufacturer fined after worker's arm is severed by industrial 'corkscrew'

Date:

18 July 2011

Release No:

COISE/18-07

A Leicestershire manufacturing firm has been fined after an employee's arm was torn off by a giant industrial 'corkscrew' as he was carrying out repairs.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted London Concrete Ltd after a manager accidentally turned on an auger - a large corkscrew-like machine which moves dry materials from one level to another - while it was being repaired at a factory in Wapseys Wood, Oxford Road, Gerrards Cross.

Aylesbury Crown Court heard that a 50-year-old employee, who does not wish to be named, was working on the machine on 28 and 29 May 2008.

He attempted an initial repair on 28 May with the electrical power to the auger incorrectly isolated and without completing the permits for the work required by company policy. The repair failed. He attempted another repair the following day and both he and his supervisor failed to check that the power had again been isolated, in breach of company procedures.

When the supervisor accidentally activated the machine, it tore the man's arm off above the elbow.

The experienced fitter had worked in the industry for 23 years before joining London Concrete Ltd 10 months before the incident.

The HSE investigation found that although London Concrete trained its workforce on safety and could isolate power to machines and prevent them from being used during repairs, it failed to provide the injured man with initial training or any additional information about the equipment he was working on or company procedures. Inspectors also discovered that the plant manager did not supervise work correctly, which meant company permits to work were frequently not completed.

HSE's inspector, Nigel Fitzhugh said:

"This was a terrible, preventable incident which resulted in a man having his left arm torn off above the elbow, an agonising injury which has had a profound and devastating effect on him.

"There was clearly a foreseeable risk of this sort of incident happening. London Concrete Ltd had in place measures to mitigate this kind of incident, but crucially failed to provide training to the injured man and failed to ensure that its own isolation procedures were followed.

"Permits to work are designed to prevent just the sort of misunderstanding that existed between the manager and the fitter.

"Incidents such as this show how important it is that safety training and procedures should exist in practice, not just on paper."

London Concrete Ltd, of Baron Hall, Copt Oak Road, Markfield, Leicestershire pleaded guilty on 3 May 2011 at High Wycombe Magistrates Court to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. At Aylesbury Crown Court (18 July 2011), the firm was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay costs of £9,397.

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 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."
3. Health and safety legislation is currently under the spotlight as part of the Cabinet Office's Red Tape Challenge. To have your say on which regulations should stay and which should be scrapped, visit: http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/index/ and the Government will consider your views
4. Information on risk assessments can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/index.htm

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