Hillhouse Precast Concrete fined for safety failings

Company prosecuted after worker’s arm pulled into concrete rolling machine and broken in two places

AYRSHIRE-based Hillhouse Precast Concrete Ltd have been fined for safety failings after a worker suffered serious injuries to his arm when it became entangled in a rolling machine used to flatten concrete in a mould.

Christopher Fay was using the machine when his glove became caught in a metal D-ring connecting the roller to the handle. His arm was drawn into the roller as it turned, breaking it in two places.

Mr Fay had to have two plates surgically inserted in his arm and physiotherapy treatment. He no longer has full strength in his right arm, leaving him unable to lift heavy loads, and has been left with scarring. He has since returned to work with a different company.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard this week that around a month before the incident took place at the company’s premises in Beith, on 18 January 2010, the machine’s handle was leaking hydraulic fluid and was replaced.

The original handle had a ‘hold to run’ mechanism fitted which prevented workers being exposed to the risk of the machine starting automatically, and therefore unexpectedly, if it was turned on remotely. However, the new switch did not have this safety feature and so was capable of being left in the ‘on’ position. No one had noticed the difference.

On the day of the incident the machine was restarted remotely by an employee who was unable to see Mr Fay and other staff working at the roller. Mr Fay was standing close to the machine and his glove was caught in the machinery.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that Hillhouse Precast Concrete Ltd had failed to recognize that the ‘hold to run’ control switch was a safety feature of the device and failed to maintain it appropriately or replace it with an identical switch.

The company was fined £10,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 5 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

HSE Inspector Mark Carroll said: ‘While this offence came about through an inadvertent mistake rather than any deliberate failure to comply with standards, not replacing the control switch with a similar ‘hold to run’ device removed the only safety feature to protect workers from the concrete roller starting unexpectedly. As a result Mr Fay was badly injured and permanently scarred.

‘Hillhouse Precast Concrete Ltd have introduced measures and bought new equipment to avoid a repeat of the incident, but it could have been prevented by better consideration of how the repair work affected the safe operation of the roller.’