South Yorkshire manufacturing company fined after worker suffers hand injuries

Symmetry Medical Sheffield Limited, trading as Tecomet, was sentenced today for safety breaches after a worker suffered serious injuries.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard how on 8 August 2016, the worker was helping to move a hardness testing machine when it fell from the pedestrian pallet truck it was being transported on and struck his left hand.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the machine, which was resting on a stand, was lifted with a pedestrian pallet truck by the worker. The worker had not been trained on how to use the truck and the machine stand did not have suitable channels for the forks of the truck. The machine and stand were not secured to the pallet truck and the machine fell and came away from the stand. It toppled towards a wall and struck the workers hand resulting in a full amputated finger and impact damage to a second finger.

Symmetry Medical Sheffield Ltd trading as Tecomet of Beulah Road, Sheffield pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £275,000.00 with £1237.00 costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Anuja Mistry-Raval commented: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by implementing suitable control measures and adopting safe working practices.

“The risks of loads falling from lifting equipment when not properly attached or secured in place are well known.

“Suitable systems of work are fundamental for ensuring workers’ safety.”

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
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[1]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk