In October 2019, an apprentice of R Briggs Sheetmetal Fabrication Ltd, a company specialising in manufacturing canopies and ventilation ducting, had their finger crushed while operating a swaging machine.
This machine consists of two rotating wheels controlled by a foot pedal. The apprentice was instructed by another apprentice and a trainee on how to use the machine. After carrying this process out on approximately four pieces of tubing, the apprentice was left to proceed on their own, unsupervised. Whilst continuing the task, the fabric safety glove worn by the apprentice caught in the rotating wheels of the machine. On releasing the foot pedal, the wheels took a few seconds to stop, drawing the apprentice’s hand between them and causing a crushed fingertip and a fracture. As a result of the incident, the worker was unable to work for two months.
R Briggs Sheetmetal Fabrication Ltd had not performed an appropriate risk assessment or provided staff with adequate training or assessed the additional hazards presented by a young, inexperienced person working with machinery and being unaware of existing or potential risks.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, were fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,682.
Jeremy Sirrell, a Director at Palmers and a Health and Safety expert, said: “The failure to ensure that the equipment was suitable for use has led to this avoidable incident.
“If you are concerned about your businesses’ safety obligations, then it is important that you seek specialist advice at the earliest convenience.”
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