Company sentenced after worker injures hand on drill

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how an employee of Amtek Aluminium Castings (Witham) Limited had been drilling a hole in a casting when his glove got caught on the moving bit and his hand was dragged into the drill.

He suffered injuries to his hand which required a skin graft and was off work for two months.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 16 December 2014 found that the machine was badly guarded and poorly maintained. The operator was not properly trained or supervised.

Amtek Aluminium Castings (Witham) Limited, of Freebournes Road, Witham, Essex, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £250,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,632.92.