Waste company fined £5,000 after 20 year old loses arm during maintenance work

Natural World Products Ltd. was fined £5,000 at Newry Crown Court on 7 October 2011 after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety at work legislation.   

The case arose following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) into a serious incident at its waste composting site in Keady Co Armagh on 29 June 2010.

A 20 year old employee became trapped after coming into contact with an unguarded rotating conveyor drum on a screening machine.  Because of the serious injuries he sustained his left arm was amputated.

The HSENI investigation revealed that the original guard had been made smaller so that maintenance staff could have access to the internal working of the machine whilst it was still running.  

After the hearing Mr Kevin Campbell, an inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said

“It is essential that companies identify and address hazards within the workplace.  Measures must be taken to control and limit access to dangerous moving parts of machines.  Companies must ensure that maintenance teams are trained in identifying missing or defective guards and the importance of replacing guards that are removed during maintenance operations.”

Article from HSENI website