MJB Excavations and Plant Hire fined £34,300 after worker was caught in an unguarded machine

Aggregate company MJB Excavations and Plant Hire Ltd was fined £34,300 (inc.costs)after a worker suffered crush injuries to his arm.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on an EXTEC 5000 turbo screen 3-way split machine used to crush and grade recycled aggregate stone.
• There was a lack of guarding on the machine.
• On 18 March 2015, Josh Mathieson was operating the machine when his arm became trapped between the moving belt and the roller. 
• Mr Mathieson had to be cut free from the machine, and sustained a punctured lung, three broken ribs, a fracture to the top half of his right arm and nerve damage.

The HSE inspector commented:
“This injury was easily preventable, and the risk from the unguarded machine should have been identified. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.”