A Hampshire based engineering firm has been fined after a worker severed a finger in a metal working lathe.
Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard how the company had allowed the custom and practice of defeating interlocks on CNC metal working lathes to develop. This meant that machines could be operated whilst allowing access to the moving parts.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 3rd July 2015 found that the worker’s hand had come into contact with the moving parts of the machine whilst he was attempting to release a jammed work-piece. This resulted in one of his fingers being severed.
Repro Engineering Limited, of Aysgarth Road, Waterlooville, Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, and was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,222,37.
HSE Inspector Frank Flannery speaking after the case said: “This incident could have been prevented by more active and robust management action, it sends out a message to employers that tampering with safety devices can lead to injury and prosecution”
Notes to Editors:
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. hse.gov.uk
- More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
- HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
