Berkshire labels firm handed health and safety fine
A company based in Berkshire has been fined at Reading Magistrates Court after breaching safety regulations and failing to prevent an employee from being injured.
The firm, Berkshire Labels Limited, was investigated after an employer lost one of the fingers on his right hand and broke another finger after getting his hand caught in a machine.
The employee was reportedly trying to clean a coating roller on a finishing machine when the incident occurred. Although the machine was working, the employee continued to clean the roller and he ended up with his hand caught and pulled between two rollers. The worker required physiotherapy and six weeks off work as a result of his injuries.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and found that the machine was missing a vital safety guard. This guard would have prevented the employee’s injuries, and the labels firm should have made sure it was in place as well as given the worker the proper health and safety training before he carried out the potentially dangerous task.
For breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, Berkshire Labels Limited was fined a total of £7,000 over the incident. The company also had to pay more than £5,600 in legal costs.