Leading workwear company fined £400,000 after woman suffers horrific injury
Workwear Company Fined
A leading workwear company was fined £400,000, due to an employee’s skin being ripped off the palm of her hand.
Sharon Chaplin, 51, was working for Johnsons Textile Services, in Burbage, Hinckley on 16 December 2021.
The mother, from Leicestershire, was trying to manually clean a sensor, in order to initiate movement of a conveyor belt. As a result, her left hand was drawn in where two conveyor belts meet.
HSE Investigation
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company, had machinery that was inadequately guarded.
Also, a suitable & sufficient Risk Assessment was not in place for the Machinery. In addition, health and safety management systems were not in place either.
Johnsons Textile Services Limited, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).
Therefore, the company was fined £400,000 and as a result, and ordered to pay £5,919.63 costs at the hearing at Leicester Magistrates Court on 12 July 2023.
Failure to Follow Regulations
The lead HSE inspector said: “This injury was easily preventable, as standards of machinery guarding and the risk should have been identified.
Employers should properly assess risk and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery”.
“The fine imposed, shows employers, that the failure to follow the regulations are taken extremely seriously, by the courts & HSE.”
Above all, “We will not hesitate to take action against companies which do not do all that they should to keep people safe.”
Suitable & Sufficient Risk Assessment
Safety Aide can assist your business regarding Health and Safety, including Risk Assessments, please get in touch on 08000 806 801.