Woodworker prosecuted for safety failing

Date:

19 April 2011

Release No:

YH/67/11

A Dewsbury woodworker risked serious injury to himself and an employee after ignoring safety guidance and continuing to use an unguarded circular saw.

Asif Iqbal, who runs a small workshop at the Riverbank Enterprise Centre on Scout Hill Road, Ravensthorpe, was today prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for allowing access to the crown of the spinning blade.

Dewsbury Magistrates' Court heard that HSE inspectors were forced to issue two separate Prohibition Notices to stop him using the saw until it was made safe.

Mr Iqbal complied with the first notice, served in March 2010, but the guard he fitted broke and wasn't replaced. So when his premises were re-inspected last October, the saw was again in use in a dangerous unguarded state.

Mr Iqbal pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 for failing to adequately guard the dangerous part of the machine. He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of 1,305.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Neil Hope-Collins said:

"Asif Iqbal allowed the circular saw to be operated with scant regard for his own safety or the safety of those around him, including an employee. One slip with the blade and he could easily have severed a limb.

"The fact he used the saw unguarded after the initial enforcement action is extremely disappointing. He did fit a guard to comply with the prohibition notice, but he clearly failed to understand the serious consequences and then a second notice was required.

"Guarding is needed for a reason, and I hope today's prosecution sends a clear warning that we will take the strongest possible action against employers who operate dangerous equipment and machinery."

The follow-up visit to Mr Iqbal's workshop was part of an intensive two-week inspection campaign by HSE and local authorities across West Yorkshire to check working practices. Officials made almost 450 visits in the fortnight, with Mr Iqbal the only employer in Kirklees to be served with a Prohibition Notice.

The woodworking industry has one of the highest incident rates in the manufacturing sector, a fifth of which are machinery-related according the latest official figures. Visit www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking for information relating to safe working in this area.

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 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, states: "Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken which are effective
   1. to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to any rotating stock-bar; or
   2. to stop the movement of any dangerous part of machinery or rotating stock-bar before any part of a person enters a danger zone."
3. Mr Iqbal's workshop is located at Unit 14 of the Riverbank Enterprise Centre, Scout Hill Road, Ravensthorpe.

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