Precision Colour Printing fined £28,547 for two accidents where risk assessments were inadequate

Precision Colour Printing was fined £28,547 (inc.costs) for safety breaches after two employees were injured in separate incidents involving a printing press and a palletising machine.

The circumstances were:

• The risk assessments in place were not suitable and sufficient
• They did not consider the risks of clearing blockages or dealing with misaligned paper logs.
• As a consequence, employees had not been provided with safe systems of work, sufficient information, instruction or training for such tasks.
• On 17 October 2018, an employee sustained a de-gloving injury when his hand was dragged into the rollers of a printing press, as he cleared a blockage.
• On 18 January 2019, another employee was dealing with a misaligned paper log on a palletiser machine. 
• The clamping arm descended and crushed his hand, breaking his wrist.

The HSE inspector said:
“These incidents could so easily have been avoided by simply identifying and implementing appropriate control measures and safe working practices. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Goodwin Castings fined £138,000 after employee was burnt when molten slag was poured into a wet container outside

Goodwin Steel Castings Ltd., was fined £138,226 (inc.costs) for safety breaches after an employee suffered life-changing burns following an eruption of molten slag during a slag tipping procedure.

The circumstances were:

• The management of the slag containers was inadequate. 
• They were regularly stored incorrectly outside with the open face up, allowing water ingress.
• The measures in place to inspect and ensure they were free from water contamination before use were also not adequate.
• On 21 February 2020, slag was being poured into a container which was incorrectly stored outside during a period of stormy weather. 
• Water had accumulated in the container, though it was not visible to the naked eye. 
• When the molten slag was poured into the container, it reacted with the water causing a violent eruption.
• The employee, pouring the slag sustained burns to a third of his body including his face, neck, stomach, arms, legs and feet, which required multiple skin grafts.

The HSE inspector said:
“This injury could easily have been prevented – the risk should have been identified and controls implemented. Relevant industry sectors are reminded of the need to ensure that all material and equipment likely to make contact with molten material is free from water contamination as far as they possibly can.”

Lanstar fined £143,664 after forklift truck driver was killed when his truck overturned

Hazardous waste treatment company Lanstar Ltd., was fined £143,664 (inc.costs) after an employee died when a forklift truck he was driving overturned and crushed him.

The circumstances were:

• Lanstar failed to ensure its forklift trucks were being operated safely.
• They had not adequately considered the risks of forklift trucks overturning 
• They did not ensure that seatbelts were being worn by drivers as necessary – despite it being company policy to do so. 
• A forklift truck overturned, killing the driver.

The potential for forklift trucks to overturn is well known within industry, as is the use of seatbelts to reduce the chance of injury in the event of an overturn.

The HSE inspector said:
“This incident could so easily have been avoided if the driver had been wearing a seat belt as per company policy. However, because the company did not fully appreciate the risk of an overturn, management failed to instruct and supervise their drivers properly. This resulted in seatbelts not routinely being worn by forklift truck drivers on site. HSE hope that this case helps to communicate important messages for employers to properly assess risks and put in place appropriate controls.”

Corespec Limited fined £122,989 after forklift truck hits lorry driver

Cardboard manufacturer Corespec Limited was fined £122,989 (inc.costs) after a visiting lorry driver suffered life changing injuries when he was struck by a forklift truck (FLT).

The circumstances were:

• Corespec Limited failed to organise the delivery yard in such a way that pedestrians and vehicles could work in a safe manner. 
• There was a lack of suitable segregation between pedestrians and vehicles.
• On 27 August 2019, a lorry driver was assisting in the loading of pallets of cardboard tubes onto his vehicle.
• In the course of loading the second pallet, the FLT being used to lift the pallets reversed and struck the driver, causing crush injuries to his right leg.

The HSE inspector said:

“This injury was easily preventable. Planning for transport safety and implementing safe working practices should avoid such incidents. Workplace transport is a significant hazard, and the risks must be recognised and managed. There are simple and effective measures employers can take to help keep everyone safe. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required safety standards.”

Ibstock Brick Ltd, fined £534,548 after worker's gloved hand was caught in lathe and severed

Ibstock Brick Ltd, was fined £534,548 (inc.costs) for safety breaches after a worker’s hand amputated following being entangled around the rotating shaft on a lathe.

The circumstances were:

• On 28 February 2020, a maintenance worker was polishing a metal shaft as it rotated in a manual lathe.
• The risk assessment in place was not suitable and sufficient.
• It did not assess the use of gloves or the use of emery cloth on a rotating workpiece.
• There was inadequate training, instructions and supervision.
• There was no system of work. 
• The worker was wearing gloves as he used hand-held emery cloth on the rotating shaft.
• The emery cloth became entangled around the rotating shaft 
• It dragged his hand into the lathe resulting in his hand being severed in the machine.
• He subsequently underwent surgical amputation below the elbow.

The HSE inspector said:
“Those in control of work have a responsibility to assess risk and devise safe methods of working in which their employees should then be instructed and trained. If Ibstock Brick Ltd had, had effective managerial arrangements in place for the task undertaken and ensured their employees were following a safe system of work, based upon risk assessment, safe systems of work, supervision, information, instruction and training, then the life changing injuries sustained by this worker could have been prevented. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”.

Truro Sawmills was fined £45,594 after employee severs finger on saw

Truro Sawmills was fined £45,594 (inc. costs) after a worker severed his finger when his hand came into contact with the moving parts of a machine.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on a cross-cut saw. 
• The company failed to ensure that access to a cross-cut saw’s dangerous moving parts was prevented by the use of a guard, 
• They also failed to deliver adequate training to their employees.
• On 20 March 2018, an employee of Truro Sawmills was examining the moving parts at the rear of a saw to check why it had been cutting inaccurately. 
• The saw remained in operation while he did so, 
• His glove became caught in the moving parts causing him to sever his index finger on his left hand.

The HSE inspector said:
“This injury was easily preventable. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery. Those in control have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers.”

Montracon Limited fined £184,703 after employee falls from stepladder which was not in good condition.

Montracon Limited was fined £184,703 (inc. costs) for safety breaches after a worker suffered head injuries after falling from a stepladder.

The circumstances were:

• Montracon had no ladder inspection regime in place.
• An employee was cleaning the cant rail of a curtain side trailer that had just been manufactured..
• He was using a stepladder which was not in good working order.
• Whilst using the stepladder positioned on top of the trailer to reach the work the employee pulled the steps further down the trailer to clean the next section. 
• As he climbed up the steps they started to wobble 
• This caused him to fall out of the trailer onto the floor, landing on his head.

The HSE inspector commented:
“Equipment used to access work at height should be routinely inspected and checked to make sure it is in good condition and safe to use. This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out a proper risk assessment, implementing appropriate control measures and adopting safe working practices. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Securafence Ltd., fined £96,017 for repeated breaches of health and safety law

Securafence Ltd., who manufacture perimeter protection products was fined £96,017 (inc.costs) after repeated breaches of health and safety law over a period of eighteen months, including contravention of an Improvement Notice.

The circumstances were:

• Between 29 August 2018 and 24 January 2020, despite several interventions by HSE, Securafence Ltd failed to effectively manage health and safety.
• During this time, ten Enforcement Notices were served on them.
• The company had no formal system to ensure that health and safety controls were in place.
• Management lacked health and safety competence and knowledge.
• As a result, employees were exposed to risks to their health and safety.
• This included exposure to hazardous substances from welding fumes.
• It also included exposure to paint spray from a wet spray booth – which remained in use despite the company informing HSE that it had been taken out of service. 
• Another health and safety risk cited was the risk of injury through access to dangerous parts of machinery as a result of missing/inadequate guarding.

The HSE inspector commented:
“Those in control of work have a responsibility to identify risk and devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of working. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take further appropriate enforcement action against those that continue to fall below the required standards or who fail to ensure sustained compliance.”

Troy Foods (Salads) Ltd., fined £93,769 after employee's finger was severed in a mixer

Food manufacturing company Troy Foods (Salads) Ltd., was fined £93,769 (inc. costs) after a hygiene operative suffered a serious injury when his hand came into contact with a mixer.

The circumstances were:

• Troy Foods (Salads) failed to adequately maintain guarding on a paddle mixer.
• They were also deficient in their training and supervision.
• As a result, an employee tasked with cleaning the mixer door mechanism lacked the necessary training.
• His hand came into contact with the mixer and severed the index finger of his left hand.

The HSE inspector said:
“Better compliance, supervision and training are essential to reinforce safe systems of work. This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply implementing the correct control measures and safe working practices.”