![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](http://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
COUNCIL FINED OVER POORLY GUARDED MACHINERY
Heating contractor suffered amputation of fingers in pump drive belt
Warwickshire County Council has been prosecuted after a heating contractor lost most of two fingers in poorly guarded machinery. The workman the was checking a heating pump in the basement plant room at the Council Headquarters in Warwick on 4 October 2009 when his hand was injured by the running belts and pulley of a hot water pump.
Two of his fingers were amputated below the first knuckle. He has been unable to return to work and has difficulty carrying out a number of everyday tasks. HSE investigators found that the rear of the machine was not adequately guarded thereby exposing dangerous moving parts.
Dangerous parts of machinery must be adequately guarded
Warwickshire County Council, based at Shire Hall, Warwick, pleaded guilty today to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The council was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay £5,235 costs.
Nuneaton Magistrates’ Court heard that Mr Shields, whom the council had employed as the main heating contractor for the building for more than a decade before the incident, believed the pump was not running.
HSE Inspector Paul Thompson said:
“Anyone, being an employer or in control of work equipment, must ensure that dangerous parts of machinery are adequately guarded and it is unacceptable that Warwickshire County Council failed to do this.
As a result, Mr Shields has unfortunately suffered serious injuries which have had a permanent effect on him – in an incident that should have been easily avoided if the necessary steps had been taken by the council.”
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NEWS – END OF NEW CONTENT
The addition of content on this website ceased on 17th April 2020.
Material posted before this date can be found by clicking on our SEARCH NEWS DATABASE function.
HSE WARN OF NEED FOR RPE FACE FIT TEST AND CHECK
Incorrectly fitted RPE will not protect the wearer from dangers to health
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 16th April 2020CORONA VIRUS: LATEST SITE OPERATING PROCEDURES
Industry Bodies publish risk management guidance Version 3
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 15th April 2020TOWER CRANE OUT OF SERVICE SAFETY ALERT
Important advice from Construction Plant-hire Association and HSE
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020FRAGILE ROOF REPLACEMENT PUT WORKERS IN DANGER
Measures to prevent falling from or through the roof were missing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020WORKMAN FELL FROM EDGE OF MEZZANINE FLOOR
Edge protection was absent and workman untrained for the task
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020HSE PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES 2020/21
Appointed CDM 2015 Principal Designers remain focus of HSE inspections
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020COVID-19 ADVICE & GUIDANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION
BuildUK support industry with advice, guidance and information
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020LATEST HSE CONVICTIONS AND NOTICES REGISTERS
View current online HSE registers of prosecution convictions and notices
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020POORLY DESIGNED SCHOOL GATE CRUSHED CHILD
Sliding gate over-run mechanism proved insufficiently robust
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 9th March 2020POWER GENERATOR PROSECUTED OVER UNSAFE SYSTEM
Maintenance workers seriously injured when energy suddenly released
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 2nd March 2020CEILING BELOW SAVES WORKMAN IN ROOFLIGHT FALL
Roofworker fell through roof after stepping on fragile rooflight
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 2nd March 2020INEXPERIENCED WORKER FELL THROUGH OPENING
No physical protection or warning of opening and fragile covering
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 29th February 2020CDM PRINCIPAL DESIGNER IN COURT OVER FIRE RISK
Designers and contractor prosecuted for risk management failings
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 29th February 2020PRISON SENTENCE FOR RECALCITRANT DIRECTOR
Prohibition and improvement notices ignored and danger persisted
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020TEMPORARY WORKS HOARDING FELL ON PEDESTRIAN
Member of the public struck when site fence collapsed suddenly
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020CHILD FATALLY INJURED BY UNSECURED POLE
Pole stored on embankment moved and trapped boy against fencing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020OWNER RESPONSE TO HSE INSPECTION ENDED IN COURT
Police uphold HSE right to inspect without threats, aggression or abuse
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th February 2020HSE TARGETING WELDING FUME CANCER RISK
Inspections to enforce improved controls required by new risk evidence
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th February 2020CONTRACTOR FAILED TO REPLACE MISSING PROTECTION
Painter and decorator fractured hip in fall from landing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020RISK OF DERMATITIS SUFFICIENT FOR PROSECUTION
Company failed to implement controls and surveillance required by COSHH
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020COSHH FAILINGS CAUSE ASTHMA AND PROVE COSTLY
Uncontrolled exposure to isocyanates during paint spraying operations
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020POLICE EMPLOYEE SHOCKED BY DATA CABLE WORK
South Wales Force fined over electric shock from ceiling void cable
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020COLLAPSE OF PUMP SET TRAPPED WORKMAN
Unsafe system of work transferring from pallet to a raised platform
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020MODIFIED PODIUM STEPS CAUSE FALL FROM HEIGHT
Firm failed to select and correctly assemble with necessary training
Posted on 14th February 2020
