Personal Injury Solicitors

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted a roofing company after a worker suffered injury to his arm in machinery.

On 2 July 2014, self-employed contractor Graeme Myers, 48, from Belper in Derbyshire was working for roofing and insulation firm IKO Plc at Prospect Quarry in Matlock, Derbyshire, when the incident happened.

Mr Myers was lubricating a chain on an auto-plant machine at the quarry, when he reached over a fence at the end of the machine. The machine was still running and the pusher block used to transport empty trays moved forward, striking his arm.

Mr Myers required immediate surgery to close the wound to his arm and was left with muscle loss and nerve damage. He was unable to work for three months.

An HSE investigation into the incident found that the fence height should have been sufficient to prevent access to the pusher block and other dangerous parts of the machine.

However, when IKO Plc moved the machine from its previous location, it had failed to identify the change in floor level, which reduced the height of the guard, allowing access to the dangerous parts.

At Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court, IKO Plc of Appley Bridge in Wigan pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11 (1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £10,000 and was also ordered to pay costs of £2331.21 and a victim surcharge of £120.

After the hearing, Health and Safety Executive Inspector Lyn Spooner said:

“This was a very simple case where IKO Plc had overlooked the conditions of its new site in its risk assessment – and, as a result, failed to identify the reduced height of the fence guard, allowing access to dangerous parts of the machine.

“It was an obvious risk and, as a result, one their workers was seriously injured.

“Companies must prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery in order to prevent serious injury – and in cases like this, there are often simple measures that could and should have been taken to prevent the accident occurring ”

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – No win no fee Roofers Injured at Work Claims

Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise roofers who have suffered injury at work as a result of negligence on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation.

Personal injury claims have to be made within three years of injury or diagnosis of injury.

In cases where a loved one has lost their life as a result of an injury in a roofing accident caused by negligence, Duncan Lewis offers sympathetic and expert advice to bereaved families on how to make a no win no fee Fatal Injuries Claim for compensation.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Roofers Injured at Work Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 0333 772 0409.