The fatality rate of 0.5% per 100,000 workers compares favourably with the EU average rate of 2.1%.

According to the survey 61% of employers look to make improvements where they perceive the possibility of an inspection taking place.

The store is large enough to hold a total of 420 people – 300 people on the ground floor, 100 on the first floor and 20 members of staff – but only one fire escape out of a possible six was available to use, and large amounts of combustible material blocked routes to the exits.

The inspector found that people could have exited the shop through a fire door into the stairwell, but that the door would have locked behind them and they may have ended up trapped and unable to get through the next fire door.

Huddersfield-based Poundstretcher Ltd pleaded guilty to seven charges of breaching fire safety regulations, which included offences relating to general fire precautions, a risk assessment review, emergency routes and exits and training.

The company was fined a total of £51,500 and ordered to pay costs of £3,449.75.

He was involved in producing and preparing paper reels at the firm’s site in Oakenholt, Flint. He was using his body weight to slow down a moving paper reel when he slipped. The reel, which was around two metres in diameter, then rolled onto him causing serious crush injuries which left him with paralysis.

The HSE prosecuted the firm after an investigation and at Mold Crown Court it pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £18,514.

The Court was told that the man was working on the machine used to recycle fridges. Due to the explosive risk when fridges are broken up in the machine, nitrogen gas is used to reduce such dangers.
The court heart that sometimes fridges would get stuck in the chutes and it was normal for workers to climb in to clear any blockages.

On the day of the incident the worker passed out while doing so and subsequent investigations by the HSE found the levels of nitrogen in the chute had not been assessed properly. The HSE also found that Overton Recycling failed to sufficiently assess risks regarding workers climbing into confined spaces, adding that it should have had techniques in place for clearing blockages which wouldn’t have led to workers getting into the chute.

The maintenance team attempted to manually override the machines controls but this did not work; so they decided to call for an electrician. When he arrived he disconnected the electrical coil from the controls and pressed the machines back press; which led to the machine re-energising and burst the internal bladder. The shock startled the apprentice who leapt backwards and struck his head on another machine. He was off work for two months due to the injuries sustained.

The HSE investigation found that the maintenance team had not been trained on how to repair the machine and the instructions were in Italian.

‘Hot work’ includes any process that generates a source of ignition, such as naked flames, heat or sparks arising from working methods such as welding, flame cutting, grinding and using disc cutters.

The HSE has issued a Safety Alert to remind duty holders of the risk of explosion when undertaking ‘hot work’ on containers that contain, or have contained, flammable or combustible substances like waste thinners, new or used engine oil, anti-freeze, solvents, petrol or diesel fuel.

The use of these materials is widespread across industries such as Engineering, Manufacturing, Motor Vehicle Repair and Agriculture, and although some containers may appear to be empty, sufficient liquid residue can exist in seams, creases or folds in the container to give rise to explosive vapours.

Even where the contents of a container may not have been classified as flammable under normal conditions, hot work can generate such extreme temperatures that the contents may ignite.

HSE Principal Inspector Edward Marshall, comments;

“This alert is not issuing new guidance but is to ensure all relevant workers are aware and familiar with the comprehensive advice that already exists. It is essential that all employees have had the right training for the job and know what precautions to take to protect themselves and others.”

The incident took place at the premises of the accused at Eurocentral in Holytown; the worker was removing a bag from the dust filtration system when his left hand was caught in the rotary valve, severing all four fingers and his thumb. Although surgeons were able to reattach three of his fingers, they will never regain their full function, and it was not possible to reattach his thumb or ring finger. As a result of this incident, he is permanently impaired and disfigured.

The investigation identified that the incident resulted entirely from basic health and safety failures and should have been easy to predict and prevent.

The HSE has commented that if the work had been properly assessed the risk associated with access to dangerous moving parts of the machinery would have been identified and could have been controlled. The company also failed to provide the man with adequate supervision or training on the health and safety implications of the work he was doing.

The HSE has identfied that this case should serve to remind employers and employees of the dangers presented by moving parts of machinery. They have said they will continue to hold companies to account when they fail in basic health and safety duties which could result in severe injuries to employees.

He was immediately taken to hospital by his colleague and was found to have sustained a fractured collar bone as a result of the accident.

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