Waste management company fined for health and safety issues
A waste management company with recycling facilities has received news of a fine for their safety and health breaches. A worker, while using a conveyor system, lost most of his arm because the machine was unguarded. The system was located at Kent quarry. The employee was 45 at the time of the 2010 incident. He was attempting to move a blockage from the machine when his arm was caught. The courts heard about the health and safety audits conducted by the HSE after the incident. The conveyor belt in use was juddering and vibrating. This made use of the belt difficult. The worker trying to get the debris out of the machine did not stop the conveyor belt. Instead, he left it running using his left hand, thus getting his armed trapped.
The incident also revealed that health and safety training protocols were lax since the worker was not aware he would need to turn the machine off. According to the health exam, he had a quarter of his left arm intact. The worker was taken to the hospital quickly for surgery, but the arm was unable to be reattached. The issue of no guard and the lack of training on the machine have led to the fine. The waste management company will pay £10,000 in a fine and over £11,500 in additional court costs for the safety breaches.
