In Court

Serious injection moulding burns get company £150k fine

Alison Fava

An injection moulding company has been fined after a worker suffered serious injuries whilst trying to free a machine blockage.

The employee of Wrexham-based Brother Industries (UK) Limited was injured whilst trying to clear a blockage on a plastics injection moulding machine, resulting in serious burns and multiple fractures to his heel. He missed three months of work.

The HSE’s investigation into the incident, which occurred on the 20 December 2016, found that there was no safe system of work for clearing blockages on plastic injection moulding machines.

Brother Industries (UK) Limited of Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £150,000 with costs of £7,659.98.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Christina Roberts said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of work and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of work.

“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”

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