Prosecutions

The HSE has recently prosecuted an engineering company after finding safety guards missing or not in use on several machines used to shape metal.

The company had previously been ordered to replace the guards on the machines at its factory in 2001 but they were later removed or unlocked.

The company pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences at Trafford Magistrates Court and was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,003.

The company was prosecuted for breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of its employees. It was also charged with breaching Regulation 11(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 by failing to make sure the machine guards were well maintained, in an efficient working order and in good repair.

Safety guards are there for a reason and, by not providing them; the company put the lives of its employees in danger. Factory work can be extremely dangerous and so it’s vital that the risks are reduced to a minimum.

The company was first served with an Enforcement Notice issued by the HSE in 1999 for failing to have a safety switch on a piece of machinery. When inspectors visited the site again in 2001, they served eight Enforcement Notices after finding safety guards missing on several machines.

Although the guards were initially provided following the visit, they were removed or put out of use within a few months. Inspectors took the decision to prosecute the company after revisiting the site in May 2007.