Engineering company fined after worker crushed

Pipework Engineering Services Limited (PESL) has been fined after a worker suffered life changing injuries as a result of a crush incident.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard that on 21 March 2016 the worker was operating a foot pedal saw when he came into contact with the rotating blade.

The 35-year old severed his hand and wrist, which required surgical intervention to reattach.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found PESL failed to install the machine correctly and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, meaning that it could be operated from a position that took the operator very close to the saw’s moving blade.

Pipework Engineering Services Limited of Emily Street, Highgate, Birmingham today pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 17 (2) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment 1998, has been fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2087.16.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Principal Inspector Geoffrey Brown said: “The company failed to ensure the machinery was set up in a safe manner and as a result the worker suffered life changing injuries.

“To prevent future, similar accidents it is essential that duty holders install and set up machines correctly and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk