A Welshpool manufacturing company that produces fit out components, such as wood panels, was fined £100,000 after an employee partially severed two fingers
The employee was attempting to identify a fault in a machine when the incident occurred, resulting in the wood panel manufacturing company being fined.
Known as Newmor Group Ltd at the time of the incident, Welshpool based manufacturing company Interior Products Group Limited create and sell completed fit out products to a variety of sectors, including modular construction.
The employee was described as “experienced” but still had not recieved sufficient training
The employee, originally from Wrexham, was working with the edgebander machine, which applies edging tape to raw edges of wood panels with hot-melt adhesive or glue.
Whilst checking for debris on the trimming unit of the edgebander, the worker had failed to turn the machine off correctly before investigating. The worker then stepped over two supporting rails and placed their fingers on a trimming unit, resulting in the partial severing, Wrexham Magistrates’ Court heard.
HSE found that safety at the manufacturing company was sub-standard
Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it was discovered that although the company had carried out a number of risk assessments on the machine, they failed to identify the hazards presented by the cutting and trimming units from the front of the edgebander.
They also failed to provide suitable and sufficient, information, instruction and training to enable their staff to carry out activities such as cleaning, fault finding and minor repairs safely.
Interior Products Group Limited of Madocs Works, Henfaes Lane, Welshpool pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,688.
Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Joe Boast said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in that safe system of working.
“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”
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