ADA Machining Services fined £24,952 after second accident on vertical boring machine

ADA Machining Services Ltd., was been fined £24,952 (inc. costs) after a worker’s hand was partially severed when it was caught in machinery.

The circumstances were:

• The accident was on a Richards 16ft vertical boring machine'
• There was inadequate guarding to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machinery
• There was an inadequate risk assessment for operating the vertical boring machine..
• It was custom and practice to walk on the rotating machine table during operation of the vertical boring machine.
• On 24 March 2021 an employee was operating the machine when he stepped on to the rotating table to check the internal boring cut 
• He slipped and fell on the table.
• On his third attempt to steady himself after slipping, his hand was drawn into the in-running nip, and he suffered a partially severed hand. 
• He remains unable to work.
• ADA Machining Services Ltd., had previously pleaded guilty of breaching the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation on 12 May 2010 for an entrapment accident on a vertical boring machine.
• HSE provided guidance on guarding these machines at that time so the company had been aware of the risks for a number of years and should have taken remedial action to prevent a second accident of the same nature happening again.

The HSE inspector said:
“This injury was easily prevented, and the risk should have been identified and eliminated when the company were given advice on guarding this machine by HSE 11 years ago. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.”

Amberset fined after employee was drawn into unguarded machine

Manufacturer of paper and paperboard Amberset Limited was been fined £4,197 (inc.costs) after an employee was injured when they were drawn into a large paper re-winding machine.

The circumstances were:

• The paper rewinder was not suitably guarded.
• This had been the case since August 1998. 
• The rewinder allowed access to dangerous parts of machinery at various places including the front of the rewinder where the employee was drawn by their hand between two exposed rollers.
• On 19 July 2021 an employee sustained injuries of three broken bones in their shoulder, bruising of the elbow and wrist and superficial damage to their head. 
• The man then underwent surgery following the incident, where metal plates and pins were fitted in his shoulder and arm.

The HSE inspector said:
“Employers should regularly review the safety measures on their plant and equipment to ensure that access to dangerous parts is prevented. The guidance on safe operation of paper rewinders is well established as is the law and guidance on guarding dangerous parts of machinery.
Employees should be prevented from getting into a position where they can come into contact with dangerous parts of machinery.
It is fortunate that the quick action of the employee’s colleagues in stopping the machine, ensured that they were not pulled further into the machine as their injuries could have been much worse if not fatal.”