Factories must maintain very high levels of health and safety in order to manage the risks involved in the industry effectively.  One of the cases in the news this week which highlights the dangers involves a factory worker in Bolton. While he was carrying out his job his fingers were cut off, the 27 year old man lost three of his fingers right down to his knuckle, and this accident was unnecessary and should have been avoided.

Lack of Training and No Safety Saw Guard

The accident occurred at the Industrial estate in Blackrod where the man was working for Frank Hill Ld. The employed who has requested for his name not to be released, was responsible for holding some wood. A colleague was cutting through the wood and the young man’s hand got caught on the rotating blade in December 2010. The HSE investigated the incident and they found that the employee had not been given any training regarding use of the saw. In addition to the lack of training the saw was lacking an essential safety feature, there was no guard.

Once the investigation was completed two Prohibition Notices were given to the company making sure that the rotating saw and a second saw found without a guard were not used until they had been returned to safe working condition.  The factory owners, Frank Hill Ltd were ordered to court where they were found guilty of breaching tow of the regulations in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Prosecution Will Always Follow for Any Company Found to Be Breaching Health and Safety Laws

As the firm went into liquidation they were fined just £2 and there were no costs applied. The inspector overseeing the hearing at Manchester Crown Court said that incidents such as this one were very high in the manufacturing industries. Prosecution is necessary, even if the company no longer trades. The lack of health and safety at the factory has left one man without three of his fingers. This was easily prevented by ensuring the employee had the right training before asking him to work on such dangerous equipment. Guards are also necessary and need to be place on all machinery as a safety precaution; if the saw had a guard the accident could have been prevented.

Do Everything Possible to Reduce the Risks

The amount of major injuries in the manufacturing industry is shockingly high. On average 31 employees are killed at work each year, and there are over 4,500 injuries. Staying on top of your policies can stop so many people being affected by accidents. Health and safety services such as training can help you to work towards a safer environment and is required by law to show that our employees’ health and safety is a priority. You must do everything possible to reduce the risks, and training can go a long way in raising awareness and helping to create a strong health and safety culture in your workplace.

Health and safety consultants can advise you on appropriate training and often supply courses for you and your employees. The experts can also help regarding machinery laws and an audit is a great way of making you aware of serious problems which can contribute to accidents and result in prosecution.  Call 0800 1488 677 to find out more.

About David Cant

A chartered (fellow) safety and risk management practitioner with 20+ years of experience. David provides a healthy dose of how-to articles, advice and guidance to make compliance easier for construction professionals, Architects and the built environment. Get social with David on Twitter and Linkedin.