A Neath toilet roll manufacturer has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £1,365 in legal and medical costs after a worker was seriously injured while operating machinery at their Baglan Energy Park premises.
Intertissue Ltd, of Brunel Way, Baglan Energy Park, Neath, pleaded guilty to a charge under Regulation 11(1) of the Provisions and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 at Neath Port Talbot Magistrates’ Court after a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the firm had failed to take effective measures to prevent access to a dangerous part of machinery.
Phillip Evans, 43, who was hired as a core operator by Intertissue Ltd, was helping his shift supervisor clear a wraparound of paper from the steel roller of a rewinding machine – used to layer the tissue paper – when the accident took place.
The court heard a compressed air gun was used to cut the wraparound of paper and pull it free from the roller. The shift supervisor was at the controls of the rewinding machine and pressed the ‘jog’ button – which moves the rollers around at a reduced speed.
Mr Evans’ hand was caught between the upper and lower rollers of the machine. Three fingers of his left hand were crushed resulting in permanent damage to his hand.
Medico-Legal News Source: Claims Management Magazine
