A spokesman for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service said firefighters were called to the scene on Pittwood Road near Lillyhall in Cumbria at 12.57 on Sunday “to help rescue a man who had got his legs trapped in some machinery”.
The fire service spokesman added: “Crews worked alongside paramedics to rescue the man who was then taken to hospital.”
Cumbria Constabulary said the man, an employee of Cumbria Waste Group, was stabilised after being airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne.
According to Cumbria Waste Group, the employee is still recovering in hospital but his condition is not life-threatening.
A spokesman for Cumbria Waste Group Ltd said: “We have been in touch with the family of our employee involved in this incident and they say his condition is not life-threatening and that he is now recovering in hospital. We are continuing to provide them with our full support.
“Investigations into the incident are continuing and that we are cooperating fully with the Health and Safety Executive.
“The family have asked that we do not provide any more details about him, including his name, so we are respecting their wishes.”
The Distington waste site includes a materials recycling facility (MRF) and a waste transfer station which receives domestic and commercial and industrial waste, a small amount of which is baled.
A spokeswoman for HSE said yesterday: “We have decided that the incident warrants a formal investigation and one of our inspectors will be visiting the site later today (April 7). We are unable to say any more at this stage.”
Wiltshire HWRC collision
Meanwhile, Wiltshire Police are seeking information regarding an incident yesterday (April 7), which saw a man suffer an arm injury after being pushed onto a car Wiltshire county council’s household waste recycling centre (HWRC) in Trowbridge.
Wiltshire Police were called by the ambulance service to assist with the incident on Canal Road at 2.20pm.
A spokesman for the police said: “Following an argument at the centre, a man was pushed and as a result, fell on to a car, smashing the headlight. Anyone with information should call police on 101.”
A spokesperson for South West Ambulance Service said: “We were called yesterday afternoon at 2.17 to Canal Road in Trowbridge where there had been a road traffic collision between a car and a pedestrian.
“The pedestrian was a 45-year-old male who suffered an arm injury – possibly a deep cut to his arm – and was taken to South Mead hospital in Bristol for treatment.”
The Trowbridge HWRC is one of 11 operated by Wiltshire waste management company Hills Waste Solutions on behalf of the county council.
The HWRC was reportedly closed while the man received treatment.
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