The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a Lancashire-based company, after a worker was crushed under machinery.
On 30 April 2014, the 57-year old unnamed employee of Spectral Colours Limited (SCL) was cleaning the dispersion mixing machine at the company’s premises in Crawford Street, Manchester, when the worker sat on one of the clamping arms.
This suddenly toppled over and pinned the worker’s leg beneath the machine, resulting in the employee suffering a fractured ankle and serious crush injuries to his foot.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company had failed to secure the machinery properly to the ground, increasing the risk of the machinery toppling over and injuring employees.
At Manchester Crown Court, Spectral Colours Limited of Crawford Street in Rochdale, Lancashire pleaded guilty of breaching Regulation 20 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
The company was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £22,444.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Tim Beaumont said:
“This case highlights the need for all duty holders to ensure all machinery in their workplaces are properly fixed and maintained to the required safety standard.
“If Spectral Colours had been more thorough in ensuring that the installation of the machinery was completed properly, then this accident wouldn’t have happened.”
Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors
Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise those who suffer crush injuries as a result of negligence on how to make a no win no fee compensation claim – including claims relating to: