A metal fabrication company has been fined £22,000 after a worker’s overalls were drawn into a lathe, trapping him and resulting in serious injury.
The employee of Oxford Engineering (Hampshire) Ltd, was working on the Semco Lathe at its site on Moreland Road, Gosport, when he became entangled by his work coat in the feed screws.
The overalls did not rip, but were drawn very tightly on him causing his injuries. The lathe was slowed by the employee by pressing the foot brake, and then fully stopped when a colleague came to assist and pressed the emergency stop button.
The accident resulted in multiple breaks to his right shoulder, requiring a plate and screws to be inserted.
HSE found that the company failed to provide adequate guarding to prevent entanglement on the lead and feed screws for the lathe involved in the accident. The company failed to recognise the dangers, and that adequate guarding was required when working with machinery to protect workers from the dangerous moving parts.
Oxford Engineering Ltd, of Anchorage, Gosport, Hampshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11 (1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 in the incident in February 2021. The company was fined £22,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,617.42 at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on June 24 2022.
After the hearing HSE Inspector Nicola Pinckney said: “This accident would not have happened if the company had identified the risk and ensured that appropriate guarding was in place.
“Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery. 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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