Engineering company fined after worker severed finger in machinery

Royston Lead Limited have been sentenced for safety breaches after a worker’s hand became trapped in a stamping machine.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that, on 16 January 2018, the 21-year-old worker was feeding lead billets into a lead stamping machine when his hand became caught. The little finger on his right hand was cut to the bone and later had to be partially amputated. He also suffered cuts and subsequent scarring to the ring finger on the same hand.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the machine was inadequately guarded and there was access to dangerous parts of the machine. A second similar machine was found to have the same guarding deficiencies.

Royston Lead Limited of Pogmoor Works, Stocks Lane, Barnsley, South Yorkshire pleaded guilty to breaching two charges of Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company has been fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £8,400 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Anuja Mistry-Raval said: “Dangerous parts of the machines should have been identified through a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks posed and then appropriately guarded.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply implementing correct control measures and carrying out safe working practices”

Source HSE Website 18/11/2021