in court

Engineering company fined after employee scalped

Safety & Health Practitioner

An engineering company has been fined after one of its employees suffered scalping injuries when her hair became entangled in a pillar drill.

A P&D Engineering Limited employee suffered life changing injuries when her scalp and part of her ear were torn off after her ponytail became wrapped around a rotating drill, Coventry Magistrates’ Court was told. In the months following the incident she underwent surgery nine times involving skin grafts to re-construct her scalp. Her ear was also amputated following the incident on 10 September 2019.

An HSE investigation found that the rotating parts of the drill were not guarded in accordance with standard industry practice. The investigation also found that P&D Engineering Limited’s own risk assessment for using the drill had identified a guard should be fitted, but evidence obtained indicated the drill had been operated without one for a number of years.

P&D Engineering Limited of Crondal Road, Exhall, Coventry pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £62,334 and ordered to pay costs of £1,459.90.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Charlotte Cunniffe said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

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

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