Man loses finger at Birmingham factory

Date:

29 March 2012

Release No:

WM604/12

A Birmingham engineering company has been fined after a man's finger was severed in a tube bending machine.

Robert Cuzick, 53, from Birmingham was working at Hydrapower Dynamics on 24 January 2011 when he put his hand on the machine's clamping arm to restart it.

However, the unguarded metal arm suddenly moved downwards, trapping Mr Cuzick's left hand middle finger, cutting it off just above the second knuckle.

Birmingham Magistrates' Court heard that doctors were unable to reattach his finger and he was off work for more than a month.

The Health and Safety Executive's investigation into the incident found that dangerous parts of the computer numerically controlled tube bending machine were unguarded.

Although Hydrapower Dynamics' own risk assessment had identified this hazard, the company had taken no action to protect employees using the machine.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Matthew Whitaker said:

"This needless incident has left a man with a permanent, life-changing injury.

"It would never have happened if Hydrapower Dynamics had followed its own risk assessment and introduced measures to comply with basic standards.

"This case shows that putting risk assessments into action is essential to protect employees and completing one should not be seen merely as a paper exercise.

"Companies must implement control measures that are identified in risk assessments, and then monitor them to make sure they are working properly."

Hydrapower Dynamics Ltd, of St Marks Street, Birmingham, pleaded guilty today to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £3,000 costs.

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(1) 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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