Cardiff steel firm fined after worker's hand disfigured

Date:

13 May 2011

Cardiff-based steel company Celsa Manufacturing (UK) Ltd has today been fined after a worker sustained a serious hand injury while operating machinery at its city centre plant.

The 41-year-old employee from the Newport area, was working as a production operator at the company.

On the 11th of September 2009, the man was measuring the size of solid hot steel stock passing through the company's section mill using large steel callipers, when his hand got caught in the rollers of the machinery.

Cardiff Crown Court heard the man suffered severe burns to his right hand and lost two fingers in the incident. He has since returned to work but, due to his injuries, has taken another role at the firm.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the system of work Celsa Manufacturing (UK) Ltd employed to measure hot material was not as safe as was reasonably practicable.

The company of Castle Works, East Moors Road, Cardiff pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Today, it was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £10,715 in costs.

HSE inspector Steve Curry said:

"Had Celsa ensured correct and safe working practices, the serious injuries suffered by this employee may have been avoided.

"This was a completely unnecessary incident. There were alternative measures the company could have used for this task.

"At the time of the incident, this method of measuring steel product was a recognised practice within company procedures.

"This has since been changed so as not to require close approach by employees, however it has come a little too late for one worker."

The HSE website contains information on the responsibilities of employers to manage risk and also includes guidance on how to carry out a risk assessment. The site is at http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm.

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."

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