31.07.2009

Employers Urged to Take Action After Chester Worker Cracks Ribs

Employers are being urged to take action to prevent injuries after a Chester industrial worker became trapped in machinery, cracking his ribs.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Calder Industrial Materials Ltd, which manufactures lead products, following the incident at its Jupiter Drive site in the city. The company was fined £4,500 and ordered to pay full costs of £1,050 at Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday 30 July.

The court heard that Stephen Shore was trying to clear debris from a conveyor belt on 20 February 2008 when he became trapped. He sustained crush injuries, including cracked ribs and severe bruising.

Calder Industrial Materials pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 by failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

HSE Inspector Bruce Jones said:-

"Mr Shore was badly injured because Calder Industrial Materials failed to prevent him from gaining access to dangerous machinery.”

"Fixed guards and a padlocked gate should have prevented Mr Shore from entering the machine and accessing the underside of a tipping table, which is used to tip debris onto a conveyor belt. But the guards and gate were not installed until after the incident.”

"This case should act as a reminder to employers of the importance of safety in the workplace. Effective measures must be put in place to prevent serious injuries from dangerous machinery."