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£50,000 fine for Cheshire company after worker loses finger (7 January 2016)

Date: 07/01/2016
Duncan Lewis, Personal Injury Solicitors, £50,000 fine for Cheshire company after worker loses finger

A Cheshire company has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an employee lost a finger in an incident involving an unguarded planer.

On 9 December 2013, a 21-year-employee at S. Cartwright and Sons (Coachbuilders) Ltd was feeding wood over the planer, when his fingers touched the blades – resulting in the amputation of his little finger and injuries to his right hand which later required skin grafts.

A Health and Safety Executive investigation found the guards on the machine were not in the correct position – and the injured worker had previously used the machine with others to help with guiding wood, but had never used it on his own prior to the incident.

The HSE concluded that the incident could have been prevented had machinery guarding been in place – a control measure identified in the company’s own risk assessment.

The company was also found not to have ensured management systems were in place to achieve sustained compliance to safety measures – and the company had also failed to monitor and supervise untrained employees entering the woodwork shop.

HSE had prosecuted S. Cartwright & Sons three times over safety failings –
Including two fatal accidents.

The company has also received 12 enforcement notices since 2001 – including an Improvement Notice in 2006, regarding no suitable and sufficient risk assessment.

On Wednesday (06/01/16) at Trafford Magistrates’ Court, S. Cartwright and Sons (Coachbuilders) Limited of Atlantic Street, Broadheath in Altrincham, Cheshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The company was fined £50,000 with £5,890 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Adam McMahon said

“A man suffered life changing injuries, which could have been prevented had the company’s safety systems been properly managed.

“The management of health and safety systems is paramount in order for companies to ensure employees’ safety, wellbeing and morale.”

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – No win no fee Amputation Claims

Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors can advise those have undergone amputation as a result of injury caused by negligence on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation, including amputation claims involving:

• Accidents at work
• Animal attacks
• Children’s accidents
• Criminal injuries
• Faulty goods
• Holiday accidents
• Medical negligence
• Public liability accidents
• Road traffic accidents
• Sports accidents.

Amputation claims have to be made within three years of injury or diagnosis of injury – children can make a claim for compensation up to the age of 21.

For sympathetic and expert legal advice on no win no fee Amputation Claims, contact Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 0333 772 0409.


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