Metalwork company fined after apprentice suffered finger amputation

An architectural metalwork company has been fined after an employee suffered a serious hand injury on a pedestal drill.

 

Nottingham Magistrates’ Court heard that on 21 August 2018, an employee, who was an apprentice, at Viking Engineering (Architectural Metalwork) Ltd, suffered an amputation injury to his right-hand middle finger whilst operating a pedestal drill at the company site in Basford, Nottingham. His gloved right hand became entangled on the rotating spade drill bit of the drilling machine resulting in his injuries.

 

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that employees were required, by the company’s written system of work, to wear gloves when operating the drill. It had become custom and practice to leave the drill running while repositioning workpieces, which is when the incident occurred.

 

Viking engineering (Architectural Metalwork) Ltd of Park Lane, Basford, Nottingham, were found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined, in its absence, £78,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,914.48 with a victim surcharge charge of £170.

 

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Mr Amandip Dhanda said: “Taking simple measures, and monitoring systems of work, could have easily prevented this serious accident”.

 

 

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk

 

  1. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/

 

HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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