Man Suffers Serious Crush Injuries in Accident at Work
A steel manufacturing company based in Cardiff has been prosecuted after a worker suffered crush injuries to his hand in an accident at work.
Accident at work incident
North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard how the accident at work took place on 23 October 2015. An employee of Rom Ltd was removing leftover steel from a machine used for straightening steel wire, called the Koch Straightener.
The worker trapped his hand between the rotating rollers inside the machine, suffering serious crush injuries to his right hand. He also severed the tip of his right index finger during the accident at work.
Health and safety investigation
The Health and Safety Executive launched an investigation into the accident at work incident and found that Rom Ltd failed to recognise the risks involved with workers manually operating the Kick Straightener. It was also found that steps hadn’t been taken to ensure the machine was appropriately guarded.
Furthermore, it was found that the company failed to provide an adequate level of supervision for the activity, resulting in the worker suffering the workplace injury.
Sentencing and fines
Rom Ltd of Castle Works, East Moors Road, Cardiff today pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company has been fined £200,000 and ordered to pay costs of £17,200.63.
HSE inspector David Keane said after the hearing:
“This man suffered a life-changing injury. The company failed to protect the worker from harm by not properly considering the risks associated with manually operating dangerous machinery such as this.”
Accident at work compensation – expert advice
Compensation may be available if you have been injured in an accident at work that wasn’t your fault. More information can be found via our ‘Accidents at Work’ page.
To begin your accident at work claim, contact us today. Remember, we offer you a FREE no obligation-consultation. Call 0800 888 6 888 or email .
Source: Health & Safety Executive
