Consillium Environmental Services fined £34,500 for conveyor accident

Lancashire-based environmental services company, Consillium Environmental Services, was fined £34,500 (inc.costs) after a worker suffered serious injuries when his arm was crushed by a conveyor belt.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on a conveyor belt in a waste processing plant.
• No suitable and sufficient risk assessment had been carried out.
• There was no suitable isolation process or guarding in place.
• There was no safe system of work for cleaning the rollers.
• On 20th May 2015 Muhammad Shoaib, was cleaning out waste plastic material from the conveyor belt.
• The machinery was started and his arm was drawn in between the rollers and the belt.
• Mr Shoaib suffered crush injuries in two places on his left arm and needed extensive surgery. 
• He has not been able to return to work since the incident.

The HSE Inspector said:
“This incident was entirely preventable. It is essential to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. As in this case the outcome for ignoring these simple safety measures can result in life changing injuries and a substantial fine.”