Fabric manufacturer sentenced due to workstation risk assessment faults
A fabric manufacturer in Bolton has been prosecuted and sentenced due to a health and safety issue that cost an employee a finger. The employee’s hand was caught in a rotating cog at the factory. The individual was 27 years old at the time of the 2011 incident.
After health and safety audits by the HSE it was determined that the company had inappropriate risk assessments. The finger was amputated to the knuckle. The worker was trying to get fibre out of the machine that was built up. The machine was still operating at this point. It was actually a common practise to do this by the employees. This suggests a health and safety training issue along with risk assessment troubles. The company needed a safety system to be in place. It took the incident to happen for the company to make certain the new safety system was actually installed.
Incidents such as this do not have to happen. Companies can make certain they undertake their duty of care and avoid fines. The fine this manufacturer must pay is 6,500 pounds. They have also been charged with 5,580 pounds for the court costs. It is up to all businesses to take their safety and health seriously. A failure to do so can lead to injuries such as the one suffered by the worker losing his finger. It might not seem like a major injury, but this person’s life will change simply because of an incident at work that did not need to happen.
Winter and Company is run by an expert in safety and health. They offer a workstation risk assessment training course. By taking this course or one of the others, you can avoid fines and incidents at work.
