29/11/2010 - No guard left man needing stitches
An employee at a printing firm was so severely injured by a dangerous machine that he had to stay off work for six weeks, a court has learned.
The 40-year-old was hurt in May last year trying to release jammed booklets from stacker equipment at a factory run by BenhamGoodHeadPrint, in Bicester.
The man's thumb, which became caught between the machine's feeder belts and rollers, was crushed and cut as the equipment started up. His thumb was left badly cut, requiring both internal and external stitches to the wound.
Safety inspectors found that a guard was missing from the machine, which would have blocked away any moving parts, as well as protecting staff from the rollers. The inspectors also discovered that the work to un-jam the machinery was inadequately planned.
BenhamGoodHeadPrint Limited, of Chaucer Business Park, Launton Road, Bicester, admitted breaking regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The company was handed a £4,000 fine and ordered to pay costs of £3,289.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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