Two companies fined a total of £134,675 after a death during a lifting operation

Two companies were fined a total of £134,675 (inc.costs) following the death of a 37-year-old worker, Andrew Bowes.

The circumstances were:

• Larkin Eng Services Ltd had contracted Cumbria Design Scaffold Ltd to collect two large metal walkways and deliver them to a customer using a flatbed lorry fitted with a mounted crane.
• Cumbria Design Scaffold Ltd had failed to properly plan the lifting operation. 
• The company failed to recognise the risks involved. 
• It did not have a safe system of work for what was a complex lift. 
• Cumbria Design Scaffold Ltd also failed to supervise the lifting operation properly. 
• As a consequence, the lifting operation was poorly organised and controlled, placing those in the immediate vicinity at significant risk
• On 12 March 2012 Mr Bowes, a metal fabricator, was directed to assist with the lifting operation by his employer.
• Mr Bowes had only been working for the company a week.
• The first walkway had been lifted onto the back of the lorry but was not fastened down.
• As the crane moved to pick up the second walkway, a sling became snagged on the first walkway, causing it to tip over and fall from the back of the lorry onto Mr Bowes 
• Mr Bowes  sustained fatal crush injuries.
• Cumbria Design Scaffold Ltd were fined of £87464 (inc.costs).
• Larkin Eng Services Ltd were fined £47211(inc.costs).

The HSE inspector said:“Companies should always ensure that lifting operations are properly planned, organised and conducted safely. Had this lifting operation been properly planned and supervised, then this tragedy could have been averted. HSE will take enforcement action against both clients and contractors who fail to meet the required standards.”

Bolton company fined £138,000 after arm was drawn into lathe

Bolton-based Jost (UK) Limited who manufactures vehicle components was fined £138,572 (inc.costs) after a worker was injured whilst using a lathe.

The circumstances were:

• Jost had not provided instructions to employees that prohibited application of emery cloth by hand to metalworking lathes. 
• The company had also failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
• There was no safe system of work in place.
• On 8June 2017, a 59-year-old worker was applying emery cloth by hand to a lathe to smooth down a shaft.
• The worker’s arm was caught and then pulled into the machine, sustaining serious arm injuries.

The HSE inspector said:
“This injury could have been easily prevented by identifying and implementing safe working practices when using this machine.”

Lack of brake on circular saw costs man all fingers on one hand

B B & B Leisure Parks Limited, the operator of Twinlakes Family Theme Park at Melton Mowbray was fined £57,474 (inc.costs) after one of its employees was badly injured whilst using a circular saw.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on a circular saw.
• The company had failed to fit the saw with a brake to stop the blade safely after being switched off. 
• The company had not provided the employee with appropriate training in the use of this machine.
• The injured person was part of the maintenance team for the park. 
• On, 9 October 2017, after cutting a piece of wood on the saw, he pressed the stop button and went round the saw to collect the cut pieces of wood. 
• In reaching for the wood, his hand caught the rotating saw blade, severing his thumb and all four fingers on his right hand.

The HSE inspector said:
“The company had identified that the saw needed a brake, but had not yet fitted one. It also should not have allowed an untrained worker to use a woodwork machine such as this saw. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures which may include both hardware measures and training to effectively control risks.”

New UKCA mark replaces CE mark after Brexit

Here's the New UKCA mark which replaces the CE mark within the UK after Brexit.

The new mark will be required on machinery placed on the market in the UK, whether it is manufactured in the UK or imported to the UK from the EU or elsewhere. The rules relating to UKCA marking will mirror those applying to CE marking.

If you currently rely solely on a self-declaration of conformity for CE marking your machines, you will also be able to use the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) marking based on self-declaration.

If you export to Europe, then you'll need the CE mark and its existing processes.

Strategic Safety Systems will continue to provide support to companies for both UKCA and CE marking.

Hyspec Engineering Limited fined £80,000 after an apprentice was injured because of overridden interlocks

Engineering company Hyspec Engineering Limited was fined £80,000 after an apprentice was seriously-injured by a lathe.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on a CNC lathe.
• Hyspec Engineering failed to carry out the correct control measures and to implement a safe system of work.
• The safety interlocks of the lathe were overridden allowing it to run with the doors open.
• On 16 September 2016 the clothing of an apprentice became entangled in the rotating stock bar of the lathe.
• Injuries sustained include serious burns and lacerations to his neck, arm and torso as a result of his clothing being ripped off by the rotating stock bar.

The HSE inspector said: 
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices. Whilst the employee suffered serious injuries, the consequences could have been so much worse. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standard”.

Director jailed for selling products containing prohibited substances

Company director Nicholas Corbett of Abel (UK) Ltd., was sentenced to 10 months in prison for the online sale of products containing prohibited substances.

The circumstances were:

• A complaint was raised in August 2014 that Abel (UK) Ltd was selling a plant protection product containing Sodium Chlorate, a prohibited substance
• An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also found the company was selling paint stripper containing dichloromethane (DCM), which is restricted under Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals (REACH).
• The company also failed to check at the point of sale the paint stripper containing DCM was either being sold for use in industrial installations or, after October 2016, to appropriately certificated professionals, which is a condition of sale.
• HSE worked with online platforms to have the advertisements for these products taken down and served enforcement notices to prohibit further supply. 
• However, the enforcement notices were ignored by Abel (UK) ltd.

The HSE inspector said:
“Chemicals are carefully regulated to protect human health and the environment. Sodium Chlorate is not approved for use in weed killers, as a safe level of use was not established for operators. Dichloromethane (DCM) has been restricted in paint strippers due to concerns for human health during its use – it has caused fatalities when not used properly. Companies should be aware that HSE will take robust action against those who unnecessarily put the lives of workers and the public at risk, and against those who endanger the environment, through the inappropriate supply and use of chemicals.”

PCL Transport 24/7 fined £167,649 after a driver was struck by a reversing vehicle

Slough-based logistics company PCL Transport 24/7 Limited was fined £167,649 after a driver was struck by a reversing vehicle when he was carrying out a pre-use check on his vehicle.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on 15 December 2015 at a dairy in Aylesbury. 
• Safety controls, principally the use of an allocated pre-use vehicle check area, were not being followed by the company’s lorry drivers.
• The injured person was carrying out a pre-use check on his lorry in away from the designated area.
• He was struck by a reversing vehicle.

The HSE inspector said:
“Being struck by vehicles is still one of the highest causes of workplace fatal accidents. Employers should ensure that where vehicles and pedestrians use the same areas, there is sufficient separation between them.”

Veolia fined £1M after worker was run over by a vehicle in the yard

Refuse collection company Veolia ES (UK) Limited was  fined £1m plus costs of £130,000 after a worker was run over and killed.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred in the yard at the Ross Depot Waste Transfer Station in Folkestone.
• Veolia failed to adequately assess the risks involved in the yard.
• Veolia did not implement industry recognised control measures to protect employees.
• As a result, multiple vehicles, including RCVs and articulated lorries, manoeuvered around the yard with no specific controls.
• 18 October 2013, Veolia employee .John Head .was walking across the yard, . 
• He was run over by a reversing refuse collection vehicle (RCV). 
• He suffered fatal injuries when was pronounced dead at the scene.

The HSE inspector said:
“This should be a reminder to all industries, but in particular, the waste industry, to appropriately assess the risks and implement widely recognised control measures to adequately control manoeuvring vehicles, in particular reversing vehicles and restrict pedestrian movements around vehicles."

Air Management & Design fined £13,300 after hand was drawn into bending machine

Engineering company Air Management & Design Ltd., was been fined £13,300 after an apprentice suffered serious hand injuries when he was drawn into machinery.

The circumstances were:

• On 3 March 2018, the apprentice was forming a piece of sheet metal into a radius using a three-roll bending machine.
• There was no safe system of work, adequate training or supervision.
• The risks of wearing gloves when operating moving machinery had not been realised.
• He was wearing gloves when his hand was drawn in by the in-running nip between two steel rollers. 
• As a result, the apprentice had two fingers severed and also suffered crush injuries to his right hand.

The HSE inspector said after the hearing:
“A young man’s life has been changed because his employer failed to ensure adequate training in and supervision of a safe system of work for the use of a powered three roll bending machine. This is a reminder to all companies to check that fully fingered gloves are not worn, and safe systems of work are in place and being followed for operation of dangerous machinery such as three-roll bending machines.”