Worker lost arm in unguarded farm machinery

Date:

29 March 2012

A worker employed to clear out an industrial chicken shed lost his arm after it became trapped in unguarded machinery.

Mike Aubry, 27, of Bradninch, near Exeter, was working at Millard Poultry Ltd at Little Acre, Lower Godney, Wells, when the incident happened on 4 December, 2010.

In a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Yeovil Magistrates today (29 March) heard that Mr Aubrey was employed by a contractor to wash out the building using a pressure washer powered by the driveshaft of a tractor.

The driveshaft was not fully guarded and as he moved he was caught by the unguarded part of the machine. His arm had to be amputated at the scene.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Tony Makin, said:

"This was terrible and entirely preventable incident which caused a young man a great deal of pain and has completely changed his life.

"Any machinery used at work should be properly guarded to stop these kinds of incidents happening again."

Millard Poultry Ltd, of Little Acre, Lower Godney, Wells, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 in relation to the incident. The company was fined £10.000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.

Further information on farm safety can be found online at www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture

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 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states: "Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of (a) the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work; and (b) the risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking."
3. Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 covers dangerous parts of machinery, and the use of appropriate guarding. Further information can be found at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/11

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR (South West)