Manufacturing firm fined after worker sustains serious burns
A North-East manufacturing company has been fined more than £200,000 after a worker sustained serious burns to his hands.
HSE Inspectors visited Novares Peterlee Limited on 30 March 2022. Inspectors found unsafe working practices, including workers operating machinery at height, with risks of falling. Due to the safety failures, inspectors served eight prohibition notices against the company.
Tip: HSE guidance on working at height can be found at:https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/introduction.htm
Further investigations during the visit determined that an employee had sustained serious burns to his hands. This involved an incident with an injection moulding machine. The worker placed the machine in manual mode when noticing some ‘pips’ of hardened plastic material on the machine nozzles. He entered the machine, flicking the pips off, at which point molten nylon, ejected from the machine and hit him. The molten nylon hit him in the hands and chest, causing significant burns. The temperature of approximately 260-300C
Safe system of work not implemented
HSE investigation found the worker had not retracted the machine carriage to release the pressure before entering the mould area. They also found he was not wearing suitable PPE. In addition, the company’s safe system of work which was in place at the time of the incident. Adequate detail on the task and safety controls for the clearance of blockages were not in place. The worker had not received formal training on safe system of work to remove blockages from the injection moulding machines.
Novares Peterlee Limited, pleaded guilty to breaching Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined a total of £204,000 told to pay £6,272 in costs at Peterlee Magistrates Court on 14 February 2025.
Company Failure to protect workers
After the hearing, HSE inspector Clare Maltby said: “This company failed to protect its workers from several risks, including working at height.
“Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace injury and death in the workplace.”
“Companies who operate injection moulding machines should risk assess work at height and setting, fault finding and maintenance tasks and devise and implement documented safe systems of work.”
Tip: HSE guidance on machinery safety can be found at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/introduction.htm
Safety Aide can assist your business regarding Health and Safety, including Risk Assessments, please get in touch on 08000 806 801or email: info@safetyaide.com