Corespec Limited fined £122,989 after forklift truck hits lorry driver

Cardboard manufacturer Corespec Limited was fined £122,989 (inc.costs) after a visiting lorry driver suffered life changing injuries when he was struck by a forklift truck (FLT).

The circumstances were:

• Corespec Limited failed to organise the delivery yard in such a way that pedestrians and vehicles could work in a safe manner. 
• There was a lack of suitable segregation between pedestrians and vehicles.
• On 27 August 2019, a lorry driver was assisting in the loading of pallets of cardboard tubes onto his vehicle.
• In the course of loading the second pallet, the FLT being used to lift the pallets reversed and struck the driver, causing crush injuries to his right leg.

The HSE inspector said:

“This injury was easily preventable. Planning for transport safety and implementing safe working practices should avoid such incidents. Workplace transport is a significant hazard, and the risks must be recognised and managed. There are simple and effective measures employers can take to help keep everyone safe. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required safety standards.”

Ibstock Brick Ltd, fined £534,548 after worker's gloved hand was caught in lathe and severed

Ibstock Brick Ltd, was fined £534,548 (inc.costs) for safety breaches after a worker’s hand amputated following being entangled around the rotating shaft on a lathe.

The circumstances were:

• On 28 February 2020, a maintenance worker was polishing a metal shaft as it rotated in a manual lathe.
• The risk assessment in place was not suitable and sufficient.
• It did not assess the use of gloves or the use of emery cloth on a rotating workpiece.
• There was inadequate training, instructions and supervision.
• There was no system of work. 
• The worker was wearing gloves as he used hand-held emery cloth on the rotating shaft.
• The emery cloth became entangled around the rotating shaft 
• It dragged his hand into the lathe resulting in his hand being severed in the machine.
• He subsequently underwent surgical amputation below the elbow.

The HSE inspector said:
“Those in control of work have a responsibility to assess risk and devise safe methods of working in which their employees should then be instructed and trained. If Ibstock Brick Ltd had, had effective managerial arrangements in place for the task undertaken and ensured their employees were following a safe system of work, based upon risk assessment, safe systems of work, supervision, information, instruction and training, then the life changing injuries sustained by this worker could have been prevented. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”.

Truro Sawmills was fined £45,594 after employee severs finger on saw

Truro Sawmills was fined £45,594 (inc. costs) after a worker severed his finger when his hand came into contact with the moving parts of a machine.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on a cross-cut saw. 
• The company failed to ensure that access to a cross-cut saw’s dangerous moving parts was prevented by the use of a guard, 
• They also failed to deliver adequate training to their employees.
• On 20 March 2018, an employee of Truro Sawmills was examining the moving parts at the rear of a saw to check why it had been cutting inaccurately. 
• The saw remained in operation while he did so, 
• His glove became caught in the moving parts causing him to sever his index finger on his left hand.

The HSE inspector said:
“This injury was easily preventable. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery. Those in control have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers.”

Montracon Limited fined £184,703 after employee falls from stepladder which was not in good condition.

Montracon Limited was fined £184,703 (inc. costs) for safety breaches after a worker suffered head injuries after falling from a stepladder.

The circumstances were:

• Montracon had no ladder inspection regime in place.
• An employee was cleaning the cant rail of a curtain side trailer that had just been manufactured..
• He was using a stepladder which was not in good working order.
• Whilst using the stepladder positioned on top of the trailer to reach the work the employee pulled the steps further down the trailer to clean the next section. 
• As he climbed up the steps they started to wobble 
• This caused him to fall out of the trailer onto the floor, landing on his head.

The HSE inspector commented:
“Equipment used to access work at height should be routinely inspected and checked to make sure it is in good condition and safe to use. This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out a proper risk assessment, implementing appropriate control measures and adopting safe working practices. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Securafence Ltd., fined £96,017 for repeated breaches of health and safety law

Securafence Ltd., who manufacture perimeter protection products was fined £96,017 (inc.costs) after repeated breaches of health and safety law over a period of eighteen months, including contravention of an Improvement Notice.

The circumstances were:

• Between 29 August 2018 and 24 January 2020, despite several interventions by HSE, Securafence Ltd failed to effectively manage health and safety.
• During this time, ten Enforcement Notices were served on them.
• The company had no formal system to ensure that health and safety controls were in place.
• Management lacked health and safety competence and knowledge.
• As a result, employees were exposed to risks to their health and safety.
• This included exposure to hazardous substances from welding fumes.
• It also included exposure to paint spray from a wet spray booth – which remained in use despite the company informing HSE that it had been taken out of service. 
• Another health and safety risk cited was the risk of injury through access to dangerous parts of machinery as a result of missing/inadequate guarding.

The HSE inspector commented:
“Those in control of work have a responsibility to identify risk and devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of working. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take further appropriate enforcement action against those that continue to fall below the required standards or who fail to ensure sustained compliance.”

Troy Foods (Salads) Ltd., fined £93,769 after employee's finger was severed in a mixer

Food manufacturing company Troy Foods (Salads) Ltd., was fined £93,769 (inc. costs) after a hygiene operative suffered a serious injury when his hand came into contact with a mixer.

The circumstances were:

• Troy Foods (Salads) failed to adequately maintain guarding on a paddle mixer.
• They were also deficient in their training and supervision.
• As a result, an employee tasked with cleaning the mixer door mechanism lacked the necessary training.
• His hand came into contact with the mixer and severed the index finger of his left hand.

The HSE inspector said:
“Better compliance, supervision and training are essential to reinforce safe systems of work. This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply implementing the correct control measures and safe working practices.”

Company director imprisoned for ignoring prohibition notices

Tahir Karim, a director of a former car salvage company was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for failing to comply with HSE enforcement notices served to protect the health and safety of workers in his workplace and visitors to the site.

The circumstances were:

• Between 2018 and 2021, Mr Karim was in control of activities and persons working at the site known as Long Life Spares.
• Four enforcement notices had been served in relation to structural safety and the use of unsafe forklift truck vehicles.
• Mr Karim had failed to comply with all of the prohibition notices served. 
• However, he was aware of the risks and directed workers to act in a way that contravened the prohibitions and risked their own safety

The HSE inspector said
“We do not tolerate disregard for health and safety and consider the non-compliance of HSE Enforcement Notices as a serious offence.”