Company fined £28,000 for leg amputation

Con Mech Engineers Ltd were fined £28,000 (inc.costs) on 14th April 2014 because of an accident which resulted in an agency worker losing his leg.

The circumstances were:

• The employee was working in the heat treatment area on 26th January 2012.
• A vehicle carrying heavy components moves along a fixed track in this area.
• The company had failed to assess the risks that this posed and therefore to put into place any control measures.
• The employee was crushed between the vehicle and a water tank.
• He was trapped for an hour and later had his right leg amputated above the knee. His left leg was also fractured and suffered crush injuries

The HSE inspector said:

“This incident could have been easily prevented if Con Mech Engineers Ltd had identified the risks and then provided suitable measures to make sure workers did not come into contact with the moving machinery. By failing to introduce simple precautions, a worker has suffered serious, life-changing injuries.”