Marple Polymers Processors Limited fined £27,269 after conveyor was started whilst it was being cleaned

Rubber processing company Marple Polymers Processors Limited was fined £27,269 (inc.costs) after a worker’s arm was trapped in machinery.

The circumstances were: 

• The company’s system of work on this machine relied too heavily on effective communication between employees who were working on the machine in a dark and noisy environment.
• On 4 January 2018, an employee  was cleaning a stationary conveyor belt on a Banbury mixing machine.  
• The machine had not been isolated.
• Unaware cleaning was taking place, another employee started the conveyor belt system. 
• The original employee’s left arm became trapped between the conveyor belt and the tension idler causing serious injuries to their arm and hand.

The HSE inspector said:
“This injury could have easily been prevented had a robust safe system of work been in place which included, for example, the isolation of power to the machine whilst cleaning was carried out.  Employers should properly assess the hazards associated with the operation of machinery and put in place effective control measures which employees understand and follow when operating, maintaining and cleaning machinery”.