Horticultural company fined for health and safety issues
A worker was harmed at a horticultural business located in Southampton. The worker was injured by an unguarded machine, causing damage to his hand. Edmund Skweres was cut by a machine and required 11 stitches to repair it. The incident occurred in 2011 at Fruitgrower and Nurseryman Company. The court heard that the worker was clearing waste around the root packing machine. His hand was caught between the guide rail and drive wheel causing the laceration.
Upon health and safety audits, it was found that the machine was unguarded because the company failed to complete proper repairs to make the machine in “good use.” The worker sustained the laceration through his work gloves between the thumb and forefinger. He had to take a month off due to the injury and inability to use his hand for his work. The company did plead guilty to the health and safety breach thus they will pay a fine of £1,000 and £2,000 in other costs for endangering a worker.
The incident shows how important it is for companies to pay attention to their equipment and to make certain that any dangers are dealt with rather than allowing them to go on until an injury occurs. The company just needed to install a guard so that the hydraulic drive mechanism would not have caused the cut. Factory incidents such as this occur too often and they are usually preventable with proper care and risk assessment of a business.
