Machine mods led to blade accident

Jocelyn Dorrell | Prosecutions and Claims |
19.11.2008

An employee lost part of his little finger in a multi-blade panel saw after the machine's timer was modified during maintenance, Hereford magistrates have heard.

Robert Williams was injured while using the saw at Kingspan Insulation's premises in Leominster in March 2007.

Williams had been feeding pieces of insulation through the machine, which cut them into smaller pieces, when a piece became stuck and the machine jammed. He pressed the stop button to bring the blades to a standstill and release the door so that he could access the enclosed area. But the blades were still moving and he lost part of his little finger.

Hereford Magistrates' Court heard that the door safety mechanism had a timer which was programmed by Kingspan staff. But when the Italian firm which supplied the machine had fitted new blades earlier in the year, they had reset the timer to its standard, shorter setting.

Gwyn Jones, defending, said Kingspan had "incorrectly assumed that the timing and braking system that had been on [the machine] before had been put back."

Kingspan Insulation, which employs 380 people and is owned by Irish building products manufacturer Kingspan Group, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation. Hereford magistrates imposed a £4000 fine with £5860 costs.

Williams is pursuing a civil action for compensation separately.

Jones told the court that Kingspan, which manufactures a range of rigid insulation products for the construction industry, had spent more than £1 million over the past four years on workplace improvements.