Packaging employee loses fingers in crush

Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 7 March 2018, an employee of GWP Group Limited was using a rotary die cutter machine, at the company premises at Chelworth Park Industrial Estate, Chelworth Road, Wiltshire when his hand was dragged into the rollers of the machine. The employee suffered serious crush injuries to his hand, losing the majority of three fingers.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the guard over the rollers was unsuitable as it could easily be lifted whilst the rollers were running, allowing access to the moving parts. The investigation also found that there had been a near miss involving the rollers, in the months prior to the incident but the guarding had not been changed.

GWP Group Limited of Chelworth Park Industrial Estate, Chelworth Road, Cricklade, Wiltshire, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. They have been fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,992.62.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Stacey Gamwell said, “This injury could have easily been prevented and the risk should have been controlled.

“Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.”