Will workers injury inspire health and safety improvements among British firms?
September 23rd 14:29 Health and Safety
British businesses could be encouraged to adopt facilities management health and safety processes after a serious incident in Peterborough.
Agency worker Robert Dunn's arm was badly crushed in a fabric winding machine, leaving him requiring metal plates to secure his broken bones.
E-Leather Ltd was fined £13,500 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs by Peterborough Magistrates' Court after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that dangerous parts of the machine were inadequately guarded.
The fines were handed out after the firm admitted breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1)(b) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
HSE Inspector Alison Ashworth said: "Robert Dunn suffered a terrible injury because of an incident that was entirely avoidable.
"Proper safety guards play an important role in protecting workers from dangerous moving parts and the company had a responsibility to ensure suitable guarding was in place. Had a suitable and sufficient risk assessment been carried out then this issue would have been highlighted straight away."
