Employers urged to tackle personal injury risks

Posted 09/06/2009

Employers have been reminded to put effective health and safety procedures in place to prevent staff suffering a personal injury.

This week, HFW Plastics in Gateshead was fined £3,500 after an accident on the premises led to one worker needing to have his finger amputated.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), this incident occurred because the man got his hand caught in some factory machinery.

The regulator has therefore urged businesses to make sure any work involving machinery is undertaken safely, thereby reducing the chances of workplace injuries taking place.

Zoe Feather, inspector at the HSE, commented: “They must put in place adequate safeguards and safe working practices.”

This, she said, would help to ensure that employees are not exposed to dangerous parts of machinery.

Meanwhile, Lyn Spooner of the HSE has warned that allowing machines to be operated without proper safety measures in place “blatantly ignores” the wellbeing of employees.