Firm fined after man's arm cut off
02/08/2010
The traumatic amputation of a worker's right arm more than two years ago has cost his employers £16,750.
Kelso-based company, John Hogarth Ltd was fined after an employee was injured while trying to clean a rotary valve four metres above the ground in February 2008. The company pleaded guilty at Jedburgh Sheriff Court and had its initial fine reduced from £25,000.
The worker slipped and his right arm became entangled in the exposed rotating valve. He was then suspended above the floor as the rotor drew his arm into the mechanism because it had not been isolated from its electrical supply, which was difficult to reach.
His arm was severed approximately 10cm below the elbow and he then fell approximately three metres to the floor and suffered severe injuries, permanent disfigurement and impairment as a result.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the incident revealed that workers could only get access to the rotary valve by a combination of climbing a propped up ladder; walking along a narrow beam and then standing or sitting on a small wooden plank.
This was usually done at the start of every shift to clean the valve. The investigation also revealed that the on/off controls were at ground level but the isolator switch was screwed to the underside of the roof above the valve.
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