Safety in foundries in focus after company fined

09 January 2020

Safety in foundries and castings environments has been in focus this week, after a foundry was fined for having failed to carry out suitable risk assessments.  The failure resulted in an employee losing two fingers, after his hand was crushed in a machine.

Chesterfield Justice Centre heard that on 28th February 2018, an employee was attempting to clear a moulding machine of sand using a length of metal rod at a site on Callywhite Lane, Dronfield.  The blockage cleared without warning, resulting in the employees’ hand being crushed between the rod and the machine.  The employee lost two fingers and suffered additional multiple fractures.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), found that had suitable risk assessments been carried out, the company would have identitfied that there was a risk to employees in unblocking the machine.  Specific procedures for unblocking the machine should have been put in place, alongside training and information related to the unblocking of the machine.

The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,000.

A representative from the HSE said that if a suitable safe system of work had been put in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.

Foundries continue to be extremely high risk working environments with multiple safety risks which need consideration and assessment.  For more information regarding the PPE required within foundry environments, please read our article here.

Tusker Industrial Safety supply a range of British made foundry clothing and foundry PPE.  Please get in touch for more information here.

 

Written By Sharon Shaw