Firm fined £18k plus costs after worker hurt on unguarded machinery

The 56-year-old, from Coventry, suffered minor lacerations, cuts and bruising to his right arm, side and leg and lower back. He returned to work for the company after about a month. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the borer had never been fitted with a guard, despite having been in the factory for more than 15 years.

MNB Precision Ltd, of Falkland Close, Charter Avenue Industrial Estate, Canley, Coventry, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Coventry magistrates today (11 September) fined the firm £18,000 and ordered it to pay full costs of £3,356.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Matthew Whitaker said:

“Workers should not be able to access dangerous moving parts of machinery. To have not installed a guard on this machine was a serious failing and one which resulted in a man suffering a painful injury in what must have been a frightening incident.

“It’s not unusual for an incident like this to result in a fatality so the employee was very lucky. The company has since fitted guarding but it is disappointing they did not do so before it happened.”