Recycling plant injury highlights facilities management importance
January 12th 13:00 Health and Safety
The importance of effective facilities management in the recycling industry has been highlighted this week after one firm was fined £2,500.
Centriforce Products, a Liverpool-based plastics recycler, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a worker lost four fingers in a guillotine accident.
Employee Wesley Dickinson now has restricted use of his right hand after doctors were only able to re-attach two of the severed digits.
HSE Inspector Martin Paren said "This incident has had a devastating impact on Mr Dickinson, who is only in his early 20s.
"He cannot return to his old job and will not be able to do manual work in the foreseeable future, due to the limited strength and movement in his right hand."
Centriforce was also ordered to pay a further £2,438 in prosecution cost by Liverpool Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to a breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.
HSE data shows that nearly 26,000 injuries, including 35 fatalities, were reported in the UK manufacturing sector during 2007-08.
