LKAB Minerals Richmond fined after worker loses fingers

Company sentenced after employee loses two fingers in crush injury while attempting to repair main gate

LKAB Minerals Richmond Ltd have been fined £8,000 after a worker lost his middle two fingers while trying to repair the company’s main entrance gate.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that a guide roller on the underside of the gate at the specialist minerals engineering firm had collapsed and two employees were tasked by their line manager to make the repair.

The two workers attached a four-leg lifting chain to a fork-lift truck to lift the gate, which weighed in excess of 400kg. However, the chains were too long so were adjusted using a shortening hook.

One of the men used the fork-lift truck to lift the gate approximately 18in above the ground so that his colleague could access the guide roller on the underside. As he reached under to do so the chains slipped and the gate fell on his right hand.

The man lost his ring finger and his middle finger up to the first knuckle.

Sheffield-based LKAB Minerals Richmond Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and were fined £8,000 plus £2,080.40 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Eddy Tarn commented: ‘This injury could easily have been prevented and the risks should have been identified.

‘Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in those safe methods, along with effective supervision and monitoring.’