Staffordshire firm prosecuted for guarding failure

Date:

16 January 2013

Release No:

HSE/10 /13

A Staffordshire company has been fined for safety failings after a worker sustained hand injuries and lost the tip of a finger using a poorly-guarded machine.

The employee, who does not want to be named, fractured his ring finger and lost the tip of his little finger following the incident at Bathgate Slate Technologies Limited, Newcastle under Lyme on 6 January 2012.

Stafford Magistrates' Court heard today, (16 January), that the company, which produces building products, was trialling a new machine that forms and sand-coats bricks. The worker was taking bricks from the end of the machine's conveyer belt. As he tried to keep up with the supply of bricks his hand became trapped between the conveyor belt and the roller underneath.

He was taken to North Staffordshire Hospital where his little finger was amputated at the tip and his fractured ring finger pinned. He was unable to work for three weeks as a result of the injury.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), established that the machine was missing suitable guarding, although the intention was to install guarding when trialling was complete. Had a guard been fitted the incident would have been avoided.

Bathgate Slate Technologies Limited of Apedale Road, Chesterton, was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £5,464 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Simon Hall said:

"The employee's painful injury should not and need not have happened. It was easily preventable had Bathgate Slate Technologies fitted appropriate guarding to prevent access to the rollers. Guards and safety systems are there for a reason, and companies have a legal duty of care to ensure they are properly fitted and working effectively at all times.

"Being drawn into machines because of inadequate guarding or - as in this case - a total absence of guarding, happens far too regularly. The importance of robust safeguards to protect workers gaining access to dangerous moving machinery cannot be overstated."

Further information on improving safety in manufacturing is available at www.hse.gov.uk/manufacturing.

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 states: Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken which are effective to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to any rotating stock-bar; or to stop the movement of any dangerous part of machinery or rotating stock-bar before any part of a person enters a danger zone.

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