Walsall firm prosecuted after worker seriously injured on first day

Date:

18 January 2011

Release No:

WM327/11

A Walsall metal forming company has been prosecuted after a teenage worker lost parts of two fingers on his very first day working at the plant.

The nineteen-year-old, who did not wish to be named, had only started work three hours earlier for Goscote-based JKL Industrial Services Ltd, when his hand became trapped in a power press.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted JKL Industrial Services Ltd, of Canalside Close, Goscote, following the incident on 28 October 2009, in which the worker's left hand was seriously injured.

Walsall Magistrates' Court heard that the injured man, from Sutton Coldfield, was feeding strips of steel through a power press, punching 10cm shapes from the metal when his hand became trapped in an unguarded part of the machine.

As a result of his injuries, his middle and ring fingers had to be amputated at the first joint.

JKL Industrial Services Ltd pleaded guilty on Monday 17 January to breaching Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £2,534 costs.

HSE inspector Eve-Marie Edwards said:

"This young man has suffered permanent and debilitating injuries from an incident that should never have happened.

"JKL Industrial Services did not provide adequate guarding for the power press, failed to maintain the machine properly and failed also to ensure it was thoroughly examined by a competent person.

"Furthermore, the company had not given the worker sufficient information, instruction, training or supervision to operate the power press safely."

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce 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 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states: "Every employer shall ensure that effective measures are taken to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery".

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