02/06/2010 - Firm fined over electrical shock
A Wembley firm has been ordered to pay more than £10,000 after a worker was left permanently disabled when he was exposed to a high voltage shock.
The man's fingers touched, or came very near to, components carrying several thousand volts at Chart Design Ltd, where he was investigating a fault on a plastic welding machine in July 2007. Several of his muscles were damaged and the shock severely burned his right hand and forearm.
He spent two weeks in hospital and has since had to undergo skin grafts, but has not regained full use of his right hand and has been unable to return to work.
Guard panels had been removed which should have prevented access to live circuits, an investigation into the incident by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found. Inspectors discovered that no record of maintenance checks was kept for any of the machines at the factory.
The company also had no first aiders.
Chart Design Ltd, of Laxcon Close, Drury Way, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 at the City of London Magistrates' Court. It was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,330.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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