Philip Barker
27 Jan 2023
"Before the accident, I was right-handed, I have now had to learn to do all of my daily activities again, including writing.
A Greater Manchester company has been fined £180k after an employee lost her hand when it was dragged into a machine.
She was operating a blown line machine at Vita Cellular Foams (UK) Ltd the firm’s Fifth Avenue premises in Dukinfield on 30 June 2020, when the machine became blocked with fibres.
The machine was isolated by a colleague before the 23-year-old unscrewed a Perspex window in a bid to identify the blockage. As she began to remove the fibres by hand, the machine still had some residual power and began to move again, drawing in her right hand.
The tragic incident resulted in three fingers being removed before she required further surgery to have her entire right hand amputated.
The HSE investigation found the company had no safe system of work in place for removing blockages from machines even though they were known to happen occasionally. Indeed the Perspex window had been added to the machine some years previously to allow engineers and operators to identify such blockages. The window, but had not been fitted with an interlocking guard and could easily be removed without the need for specialist tools. This meant that moving parts could be accessed through removal of this when the machine was running.
Risk assessments had not been reviewed since the window’s addition to include the possibility of employees using it as a way to remove blockages, or to ensure that any excess energy in the machine was dispersed before it was accessed. The company should have ensured that tools were not readily accessible in order to remove the Perspex window.
Vita Cellular Foams (UK) Ltd of Oldham Road, Middleton, Greater Manchester pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. They were fined £180,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,337.00 at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 17 January 2023.
As with many cases we see in court the HSE inspector said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided.
“Employers should ensure they carry out an assessment of the risks and put in safe system of works for the operation of all machinery, particularly when clearing blockages.
“Employers should also ensure that adequate information, instruction and training is provided to all who use it.”
What could and should have been done to prevent this injury?
Moving machinery can cause injuries in many ways:
People can be struck and injured by moving parts of machinery or ejected material. Parts of the body can also be drawn in or trapped between rollers, belts and pulley drives.
Sharp edges can cause cuts and severing injuries, sharp-pointed parts can cause stabbing or puncture the skin, and rough surface parts can cause friction or abrasion.
People can be crushed, both between parts moving together or towards a fixed part of the machine, wall or other object, and two parts moving past one another can cause shearing.
Parts of the machine, materials and emissions (such as steam or water) can be hot or cold enough to cause burns or scalds and electricity can cause electrical shock and burns.
Injuries can also occur due to machinery becoming unreliable and developing faults or when machines are used improperly through inexperience or lack of training.
What do I have to do?
Before you start
Before you start using any machine you need to think about what risks may occur and how these can be managed. You should therefore do the following:
1. Check that the machine is complete, with all safeguards fitted, and free from defects. The term 'safeguarding' includes guards, interlocks, two-hand controls, light guards, pressure-sensitive mats etc. By law, the supplier must provide the right safeguards and inform buyers of any risks ('residual risks') that users need to be aware of and manage because they could not be designed out
2. Produce a safe system of work for using and maintaining the machine. Maintenance may require the inspection of critical features where deterioration would cause a risk. Also look at the residual risks identified by the manufacturer in the information/ instructions provided with the machine and make sure they are included in the safe system of work
3. Ensure every static machine has been installed properly and is stable (usually fixed down)
Choose the right machine for the job and do not put machines where customers or visitors may be exposed to risk
Note that new machines should now be UKCA marked and supplied with a Declaration of Conformity and instructions in English
Make sure:
The machine safe for any work that has to be done when setting up, during normal use, when clearing blockages, when carrying out repairs for breakdowns, and during planned maintenance
The machine can be properly switched off, isolated or locked-off before taking any action to remove blockages, clean or adjust the machine
you identify and deal with the risks from electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic power supplies.
You identify and resolve badly designed safeguards These may be inconvenient to use or easily overridden, which could encourage your workers to risk injury and break the law
Preventing access to dangerous parts
Think about how you can make a machine safe. The measures you use to prevent access to dangerous parts should be in the following order. In some cases it may be necessary to use a combination of these measures:
Use fixed guards (e.g. secured with screws or nuts and bolts) to enclose the dangerous parts, whenever practical. Use the best material for these guards – plastic may be easy to see through but may easily be damaged. Where you use wire mesh or similar materials, make sure the holes are not large enough to allow access to moving parts
If fixed guards are not practical, use other methods, e.g. interlock the guard so that the machine cannot start before the guard is closed and cannot be opened while the machine is still moving. In some cases, trip systems such as photoelectric devices, pressure-sensitive mats or automatic guards may be used if other guards are not practical
Where guards cannot give full protection, use jigs, holders, push sticks etc if it is practical to do so.
Control any remaining risk by providing the operator with the necessary information, instruction, training, supervision and appropriate safety equipment
Other things you should consider
If machines are controlled by programmable electronic systems, changes to any programmes should be carried out by a competent person (someone who has the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the work safely). Keep a record of such changes and check they have been made properly Ensure control switches are clearly marked to show what they do.
Have emergency stop controls where necessary, e.g. mushroom-head push buttons, within easy reach
Make sure operating controls are designed and placed to avoid accidental operation and injury, use two-hand controls where necessary and shroud start buttons and pedals
Adequate training should ensure that those who use the machine are competent to use it safely. This includes ensuring they have the correct skills, knowledge and experience – sometimes formal qualifications are needed, e.g. for chainsaw operators
Supervisors must also be properly trained and competent to be effective. They may need extra specific training and there are recognised courses for supervisors.
Ensure the work area around the machine is kept clean and tidy, free from obstructions or slips and trips hazards, and well lit
Dos and don'ts of machinery safety for workers
Do…
check the machine is well maintained and fit to be used, ie appropriate for the job and working properly and that all the safety measures are in place – guards, isolators, locking mechanisms, emergency off switches etc
use the machine properly and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
make sure you are wearing the appropriate protective clothing and equipment required for that machine, such as safety glasses, hearing protection and safety shoes
Don't…
use a machine or appliance that has a danger sign or tag attached to it. Danger signs should only be removed by an authorised person who is satisfied that the machine or process is now safe
wear dangling chains, loose clothing, rings or have loose, long hair that could get caught up in moving parts
distract people who are using machines
remove any safeguards, even if their presence seems to make the job more difficult
allow unauthorised, unqualified or untrained people use machinery – never allow children to operate or help at machines. Some workers, e.g. new starters, young people or those with disabilities, may be particularly at risk and need instruction, training and supervision
Relevant Legislation
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)