Roofing company IKO Plc has been fined following injuries sustained by a self-employed worker while at work.
Graeme Myers, 48, reached over a fence at the end of an auto-plant machine at Prospect Quarry in Matlock in July 2014, whilst the machine was still running, the pusher block used to transport empty trays moved forward, hitting his arm. As a result of the injury, Mr Myers required emergency surgery to close the wound and has suffered muscle loss and nerve damage. He was unable to work for three months.
Chesterfield Magistrates found that the fence height should have been higher, to prevent access to the pusher block and other dangerous components of the machine.
IKO Plc, based in Wigan, pleaded guilty to breaching the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations SI 1998/2306.
Speaking after the hearing, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspector Lyn Spooner said: "This was a very simple case where IKO Plc had overlooked the conditions of its new site in its risk assessment and as a result failed to identify the reduced height of the fence guard, allowing access to dangerous parts of the machine. It was an obvious risk, and as a result one their workers was seriously injured. Companies must prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery in order to prevent serious injury and in cases like this there are often simple measures that could and should have been taken to prevent the accident occurring."
For more information, see the:
