29/12/2010 - Firm fined after worker hurts leg
A sawmilling company has been fined £20,000 after a worker seriously injured his leg trying to unblock a machine used to process wooden logs into planks.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that East Lothian-based Windymains Timber Ltd had failed to assess the risks involved when employees operated the machine - called a drop sorter - and to have a safe procedure in place for clearing blockages.
The investigation also showed that dangerous parts of the machine could be accessed by workers, because there was inadequate guarding in place.
On April 4 2008, Grzegorz Krzaczek, originally from Poland, climbed on to the machine's conveyor belt, kicked the wood that was causing the jam and unblocked it.
At the time of the incident, it was common for the drop sorter to jam two or three times a day. However, as soon as the wood became dislodged, the drop sorter started again immediately at full speed, dragging Mr Krzaczek's leg into the machine, where it became trapped.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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