United Kingdom Industry News

21/06/2012

Worker Suffers Severe Burns At Staffordshire Firm

A Leek company that makes webbing for seatbelts and harnesses has been fined after an employee trapped both arms in a machine and suffered severe burns.

Stewart Wood, a dye machine operative at Marling Leek Limited, was working a night shift on August 2 last year when webbing became wrapped around the machine's rollers.

He climbed onto the machine without isolating it to try to unravel the webbing and his left arm was drawn in between the unguarded rollers. He tried to push the top roller upwards to open a gap but his right arm was drawn in as well.

A colleague outside heard Mr Wood scream but did not know how to stop the machine so ran to get another employee. By the time he was freed he had suffered severe burns and skin damage.

- - - - - - Advertisement - - - - - -

Mr Wood, 60, of Leek, was taken to North Staffordshire hospital before being transferred to the special burns unit in Birmingham where he remained for two weeks. He has had skin grafts on both arms and has permanent loss of sensation to the injured area. He was off work for a number of weeks but has since returned to work for the company.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Marling Leek had failed to implement a safe system of work for the job Mr Wood was doing and had exposed employees to risks over several years.

Stafford Magistrates' Court was told that despite Mr Wood having worked at the company for 12 years he had never received adequate information, training or written instructions on how to carry out the common task of removing wrap-arounds safely.

HSE served two Improvement Notices after the incident. The first required Marling Leek to carry out a thorough risk assessment to include dealing with wrap-arounds and working at height.

A second, not connected to the incident, concerned the electrics in the powder dye room, as they were found not to be waterproof, despite being in a wet environment.

Marling Leek Limited, of Marling Mills, Leek, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £5,827.

(CD)
Bookmark and Share

Top Stories
17/05/2013
Lovell Awarded Development Frameworks
17/05/2013
Bromley Museum Plans Take A Step Forward
17/05/2013
Willmott Dixon Awarded £4.5m Projects
17/05/2013
Balfour Beatty Joins Launch Of 'Creating Britain's Future' Campaign
17/05/2013
Carillion Launches Annual Sustainability Report
17/05/2013
Pupils Get Involved In Restoration Project
17/05/2013
M2 Global Investments Reach Agreement With HCA
17/05/2013
Pinewood Planning Application Rejected
17/05/2013
Chauncey's Oak Flooring in Selfridges New Wine Shop
17/05/2013
RoSPA Judges Present Instarmac With The Rare Gold Award
Construction News Archive
Submit News Story
Editorial Staff
Lovell Awarded Development Frameworks
Bromley Museum Plans Take A Step Forward
Willmott Dixon Awarded £4.5m Projects
Balfour Beatty Joins Launch Of 'Creating Britain's Future' Campaign
Carillion Launches Annual Sustainability Report
Pupils Get Involved In Restoration Project
M2 Global Investments Reach Agreement With HCA
Pinewood Planning Application Rejected
Chauncey's Oak Flooring in Selfridges New Wine Shop
RoSPA Judges Present Instarmac With The Rare Gold Award
First Phase OF HS2 Moves Forward
Vauxhall Tube Station To Be Transformed

69-Year-Old Woman Avoids Jail Over Manslaughter Charge
Govt Marks International Day Against Homophobia
IPCC Ask North Yorkshire Police For Savile Review
Poll Suggests 'Unhealthy' Drinking Culture In Parliament
Headteachers Union Sets Up Ofstead Rival
New Courts To Hear Minor Traffic Offences
1,400 More Jobs To Be Cut At RBS
NAO "Unclear" On Benefits of HS2 Project
Altruistic Organ Donations Rising
MoJ Seek To Cut Expert Witness Legal Aid Cost
Oxford Abuse Scandal: Criticised Officials Not Stepping Down
New Tougher Dog Laws 'Do Not Go far Enough'
Amazon Pay 0.1% Corporation Tax In 2012
Other News In Brief
download the build app from the app store
ppa.co.uk
Flagship Media Group Ltd
Unit C3, 6 Westbank Drive, Belfast,
BT3 9LA, Northern Ireland
Tel (+44) 28 9031 9008
Contact : Click here

keycons003 / keycons003x20 18/05/2013 10:28:32 / A2 / B3 / 0.015625, 54.234.180.187 / BOT1

Worker Suffers Severe Burns At Staffordshire Firm - A Leek company that makes webbing for seatbelts and harnesses has been fined after an employee trapped both arms in a machine and suffered severe burns.
Test