London recycler and RDF producer, Street Fuels Limited was fined £25,000 with £893 costs and a victim surcharge of £120 at Medway Magistrates Court after a worker sustained arm injuries whilst working on a baler machine.
The incident occurred on 7 January 2014, when an operative employee of Street Fuels Limited noticed a problem with the needle at the rear of the baler machine.
The Court was told that the machine did not have suitable guarding of dangerous parts and employee reached through the gap in the guards to pull off a hanging wire. At the same time the machine bed moved forward and trapped his arm between the moveable bed and the side of the machine.
Street Fuels
The court heard that it was common practice for employees to put their hands through gaps in the guarding to solve issues with the closest needles on the machine as it saved time turning off the machine.
Street Fuel Limited, of Museum Street London pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
The company is due to issue a public statement on the legal action shortly.
Waste Away
In a separate action, Liverpool firm Waste Away Skip Hire (Liverpool) Ltd and its director Leanne Koo pleaded guilty to safety failings at South Sefton Magistrates Court yesterday.
The hearing related to an incident on 16 April 2013, when a full time employee of the company was struck by a reversing fork lift truck and dragged under a rear wheel whilst he was picking through waste materials, causing severe crush injuries to his leg and chest.
Magistrates were told that a safe system of work was not in place, and a risk assessment had not been carried out which should have identified the need to segregate pedestrians and vehicles within the workplace.
It was also claimed that the fork lift truck did not have any audible warning siren or beacon for reversing or wing mirrors, and the rear window of the machine was dirty except for the area covered by wipers. The truck had not been subject to a thorough examination by a competent person as per the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 within the previous 12 months.
Injuries
The employee suffered serious injuries including broken ribs, a snapped pelvis, a punctured lung and the removal of his spleen as a result of the accident.
Waste Away Skip Hire (Liverpool) Limited of Canada Dock Railway Sidings, Regent Road, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £14,000 plus £1791.50 costs and a victim surcharge of £120.
Leanne Koo, Director of the company, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £1,000 plus £387.50 costs and a victim surcharge of £120.
When contacted by letsrecycle.com neither Waste Away Skip Hire or Ms Koo could not be reached for comment.
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