Portsmouth company fined after worker caught in machinery

A glass company in Portsmouth has been fined following an incident that occurred in 2015.

The case was heard at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court, where the judge heard how one of the employees suffered an accident where his arm became trapped in machinery.

The incident happened on 27th April 2015, when the employee was working on the roller, re-roping them. When the clothing of the operator became caught in the machinery, his hand and wrist were entangled in the machine, causing damage to ligaments, his nerves and soft tissue.

The court heard that Saint Gobain Glass (United Kingdom) Ltd, had adapted a metal lathe so that the conveyor rollers could be re-roped in-house. However, following the adaptation of the lathe, no guards had been set in place to protect workers from the moving components of the machinery.

According to the report, which was released following the investigation, the company had failed to conduct a risk assessment, which would have detected the lack of a guard rail and the potential danger. The firm pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The court fined the company £200,000 and ordered the firm to pay costs of £3,1137.

All companies are required to carry out a risk assessment of work areas, which includes the use of any machinery. PPE or specialist workwear will generally offer suitable protection to workers. Employers have a duty of care not only to workers, but also to members of the public.