Two newsprint firms fined £17.5k each for accident at work

An accident at work which caused a man the loss of a limb has resulted in two companies that admitted liability being fined £17,500.

An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into an incident in August 2007 found that West Ferry Printers and Meta Management Services - which was established in 1992 - were responsible for a worker undergoing an amputation of his leg.

The employee of the newsprint companies was pulled into a conveyor at premises in Tower Hamlets and got his leg trapped in the machinery.

During a case at the City of London Magistrates' Court, West Ferry pleaded guilty to breaching section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, while Meta Management admitted breaking article 2(1) of the same code.

Chris Tilley, HSE inspector, commented that both defendants "were aware of the risks from dangerous machinery and had been advised to carry out an assessment" of these hazards prior to this accident.

Posted by Craig Williams
 

29/09/2010 16:00