Global Displays Limited fined after unstable stack collapses on employee

Global Displays Limited, a manufacturing firm in Worcestershire, was fined £ 15,179 (inc.costs) after a worker suffered crush injuries when wooden panels fell onto him.

The circumstances were:

• The company failed to identify the risks from storing timber boards close to work benches and a thoroughfare used by employees. 
• They had not provided a safe place for the boards to be stored so they would not fall over.
• On 8 April 2017, there was an upright stack of 4m x 1m panels, with several smaller panels resting against it untied, causing the whole stack to become unstable.
• These toppled over and hit an employee, causing a dislocated shoulder and fractured arm as a result.

The HSE inspector said:
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out a risk assessment in relation to the storage of display panel boards. This would have identified the risks from unsafe stacking and the need for appropriate control measures, such as a method for storing boards safely. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Employee loses finger in unguarded rotating roller

Printing company V P Packaging Ltd was fined £21,346 (inc.costs) after an employee suffered a crush injury whilst cleaning machinery.

The circumstances were:

• On 11 January 2018, an employee was cleaning a roller on an envelope-making machine.
• The roller was unguarded and was running.
• The cloth she was holding got caught and her hand was drawn into the rollers.
• She suffered an amputation to her right-hand middle finger and two other fingers were fractured, with some degloving of the skin.

The HSE inspector said
“This injury could have been easily prevented, and the risk should have been identified. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures like suitable guards, to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.”

SSS Note:
The proper situation is to have either fixed guards or interlocked guards over rollers with in-running nips.  Cleaning should be done with the machine stopped.  However, it may be done on slow-crawl or hold-to-run providing the operator is wearing low-tensile strength gloves which tear rather than drawing in the hand. 

Nylcast fined £303,000 after an ejected rod killed an employee.

Nylacast Limited, who manufacture plastic products has been fined £303,205 (inc.costs) after the death of an employee.

The circumstances were:

• The company failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment of the long length rod machine in order to ensure that all foreseeable hazards had been identified.
• On 15 April 2016, an employee was in the process of removing a cast plastic rod from a casting machine.
• The rod was secured in the machine by a pressurised piston which should have been depressurised before attempting to remove the rod. It was not.
• As he started to remove the rod, the metal retaining end cap and plastic rod were forcibly ejected.
• The rod, travelling at an estimated 81 mph hit him in the chest.
• He died the following day

The HSE inspector said
“Those in control of work equipment have a responsibility to undertake a suitably robust assessment in order to ensure that all foreseeable hazards have been identified. Had this hazard been identified, suitable engineering controls could have been devised and implemented to minimise the risk, therefore this death could have been prevented.”