Manufacturer fined for safety breach
March 5th 09:03 Health and Safety
A Cannock-based manufacturing company has been fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £7,401 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.
Stafford magistrates handed out the punishment after a worker received serious injuries to his arm when it was court in a rotating drill.
Romtech Ltd was found to be in breach of Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
HSE inspector Andrew Bowker said: "The potential safety risks associated with entanglement on radial arm drilling machines have been well known for decades and control measures have been well documented in HSE guidance going back to the 1970s.
"It is not acceptable that this type of incident is still happening. Companies must invest sufficient time and effort in risk assessment to ensure their radial arm drills have suitable guards or trip devices in position."
