Worker Severs Fingers in 2019 Health & Safety Breach
Manufacturing is a dangerous industry known for its high risks. Incorrectly installed machine guarding is just one of the main causes of injury.
Maintenance Worker Severs 3 Fingers
A livestock feed manufacturer has recently been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,098. The fine followed on from a breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation 1998 (PUWER)(11).
Back in 2019, a maintenance engineer was conducting work in the pits clearing out rainwater when the incident occurred. The incident involved the workers gloved hand making contact with the chain drive of a conveyor.
The engineer severed 3 fingers in his right hand, when the chain dragged his fingers into the nip where the chain winds around a sprocket.
The chain drive had actually been without a guard in place for months, even following a breakdown repair only 5 days before the incident occurred.
HSE Inspector Matthew Tinsley said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided had checks been carried out to ensure control measures were in place and safe working practices followed.”
