Infinity Metals Limited fined £33,685 after machine operator lost parts of four fingers

Infinity Metals Limited, a scrap metal company was fined £33,685 (inc.costs) after a worker lost parts of four fingers while operating poorly maintained machinery.

The circumstances were:

1. The accident occurred on a crocodile shear on  27 March 2020
2. The operator of the machine leant over it while it was in motion to clear metal and caught his right hand in the machine. 
3. This caused him to suffer an amputation to four of his fingers.

The HSE inspector said: 
“The lack of clear roles and responsibilities together with insufficient training and poorly maintained machinery played a significant part in this incident. This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply maintaining the machinery in good working order, ensuring that the correct control measures were present, and ensuring that safe working practices were adhered too.”