Many of you know The Sussex Sign Company supply health and safety signs nationwide, as part of our service we have added a new link on our website offering interesting health and safety advice and snipits - click here for more information.
What happens when something goes wrong?
 Severed finger
The owner of a joinery firm has been fined over £15,000 after a Health and Safety Executive investigation into a machine accident revealed a range of unsafe work practices. Magistrates heard the HSE inspectors were called in when a joiner reported that part of his finger had been amputated by a woodworking machine. Magistrates heard the prosecuting officer say that the vertical spindle had not been fitted with limited cutter protecting tool. The company was fined £15,000 under section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 failing to ensure the safety of their employees. They were also fined £5,000 under RIDDOR 1985 and £2,500 under section 4(1) of the Provision use of Workplace Equipment 1998.
 Crushed to death
A company and two of their managers were ordered to pay out over £75,000 in fines and costs after one of their employees was crushed to death and another seriously injured when a machine fell on top of them during unsafe maintenance works. The high court heard that the company failed to undertake a suitable risk assessment for the maintenance works. The assessment would have shown that the weight of the machine exceeded the safe working load of the fork lift truck. The company was fined £25,000 under section 2(1) of the Health and Safety etc Act 1974 for failing to ensure the safety of their employees.
Death by heat exhaustion
A laundry company was fined £325,000 after the court heard how an employee died from heat exhaustion after being trapped for two hours inside a washing machine. The court heard that the operative had gone into the 13 metre long drum of the washing machine to clear a blockage. The machine had been running a short time before at a temperature of 70 degree Celsius. The company was fined £325,000 plus £16,000 in costs under section 2(1) of the Health and Safety etc Act 1974 for failing to ensure the safety of employees
This advice and web link comes to you courtesy of Martin Trickner from Hawthorn Health and Safety. For more information on health and safety advice or training please contact Martin directly at :
Hawthorn Safety Consultancy
Hawthorn Cottage,
Hooe Road,
Hooe,
East Sussex,
TN33 9EN Tel: 01424 893739 / 893933
Mobile: 07903 645451
Email: martin@hawthornsafety.com
Website: www.hawthornsafety.com
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We have some great news for all of our customers at the Sussex Sign Company, we have now merged with Hove based screenprinters Milterbest.
We will be running both branches as separate companies, but we will be working very closely with each other to ensure you get the best possible service and value for money.
