Worker became entangled in unguarded machine

A worker was injured when he caught his trousers in an unguarded lathe at a tyre-services company in Somerset.
David Humphries, 70, was drilling a hole in a stock bar at Tyre Renewals Ltd in Castle Cary when his trousers became entangled in the rotating feed rod of the lathe.
He sustained bruising and minor injuries to his right leg, arm and rear in the incident on 18 January 2012. He died shortly after as a result of a heart attack.
Tyre Renewals was sentenced at Yeovil Magistrates’ Court on 1 August after an investigation into the incident identified safety failings.
HSE inspector Matt Tyler found that the lathe didn’t have a guard fitted as standard by the manufacturer. The inspection also found that if the company had carried out a full risk assessment regarding the operation of the machine, the need for a guard would have been established.
Tyre Renewals Ltd, of Somerset, was fined £9000 and ordered to pay £16,302 in costs after pleading guilty to a single breach of section 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
Speaking after the hearing, inspector Tyler said: “This incident could have been prevented had the company fitted a guard to the machine.
“The law clearly states that employers should take steps to protect employees from harm arising from their work. In the case of machinery, moving parts that could cause injury should be guarded, or made safe so that people cannot come into contact with them.”
The company entered an early guilty plea.
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Worker became entangled in unguarded machine
A worker was injured when he caught his trousers in an unguarded lathe at a tyre-services company in Somerset.
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