FEATURE NEWS


COMPANY PROSECUTED AFTER WORKER INJURED BY 300KG BATTERIES


A recycling company in West Yorkshire has been fined £120,000 after batteries weighing at least 300kg fell onto an employee and severely injured him.


The man was working with two colleagues at Wastecare Limited’s site on North Dean Business Park, Halifax when he was struck by the batteries being recycled on 22 March 2019.


The three workers had been restacking the batteries that were stored in Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs) after it had toppled over.


However, the FIBCs started to rip in front of them leading to the batteries falling on to one of the workers.


He suffered a double compound fracture to his lower right leg, a fracture to the left tibia, a fractured right collar bone, some bruising to his ribs and a cut on his forehead.


A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Wastecare Limited failed to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of its employees at work. The site was overstocked, bags of batteries had been stacked in an unsafe manner and there was no specific documented risk assessments or safe systems of work


for the correct stacking and storage of batteries. This was not an isolated incident.


HSE guidance says FIBCs must not be stacked unless the FIBC is designed to be stacked and only then should it be stacked in either a pyramid form or against two walls. Learn more about HSE guidance here.


https://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/faqs.htm


Wastecare Limited, of Normanton Industrial Estate, Normanton, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay £4,937.39 in costs at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on 21 February 2024.


HSE inspector Jackie Ferguson commented: “There are specific Industry Standards and Guidance relating to Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBCs) which provides users with information on a range of aspects relating to their use including filling, discharging, handling and storage.


“This incident could so easily have been avoided by implementing simple control measures and safe working practices to ensure the batteries were stacked safely and securely. The industry should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”


This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Crockett and supported by HSE paralegal officer Stephen Parkinson.


ENGINEERING COMPANY FINED AFTER WORKER LOSES TWO FINGERS


An engineering firm in Perth has been fined £10,000 after an employee lost two of his fingers.


The worker, employed by Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited, had been carrying out maintenance work on a grain dryer at East of Scotland Farmers on 28 June 2020.


He inadvertently placed his hand into the blades of an unguarded rotary fan in the grain dryer. The fan was rotating at 1200 revolutions per minute when it came into contact with the worker’s hand.


This led to his little and ring fingers being amputated. He was off work for seven weeks following the incident.


A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into this incident found Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited had failed to risk assess the task that the


x.com/TomorrowsHS


employees were required to undertake. On the day of this incident, there was no risk assessment for the work to be done nor was there any safe working procedure.


https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer.htm?utm_source=press.hse.gov.uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=prosecution-push


It’s important that clear information is given to workers when using machinery. Steps must be taken to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. HSE guidance can be found here.


Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited, Glenearn Road, Perth pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22 of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £10,000 at Perth Sheriff Court on 16 February 2024.


HSE principal inspector Fiona MacNeill said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply following a safe working procedure which would have prevented access to dangerous moving parts.


“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”


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