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34 Spring 2021 HEALTH & SAFETY COMPANY DIRECTOR SENTENCED AFTER WORKER SUSTAINS SERIOUS CRUSH INJURIES T he director of a construction company has been sentenced after a sub- contractor suffered serious injuries when a stack of plasterboards fell on him at a construction site in Thames Ditton, Surrey. Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard that subcontractors were moving sheets of plasterboard weighing 32kg each from the ground floor to the second floor of a house undergoing refurbishment. As there was no staircase in place, they were stacking the plasterboard against an unsecured ladder and sliding them up to the floor above. During the process, the plasterboards fell on the worker, fracturing his pelvis. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found there was no safe system of work in place and the workers were not being adequately supervised. The stairwell openings were not guarded and they were partially spanned with scaffold boards resting on insecure scaffold poles, creating a significant fall risk. Siamak Samyani, the sole director of SS Reforms Limited of Eastcote Avenue, West Molesey, Surrey, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974. He was sentenced to 20 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months, fined £3,400 and ordered to pay costs of £600. SAFETY BREACHES FOUND AFTER WORKER SUFFERS CRUSH INJURY C hemical company, Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Ltd (Reckitt Benckiser Ltd), was fined for safety breaches after a worker had his left arm crushed in a bottle filling machine. Grimsby Magistrates Court heard how, the 25-year-old worker suffered an open crush injury to his left forearm at the company’s site in Dansom Lane South, Kingston upon Hull. He also sustained tendon damage to the forearm, wrist and hand. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the filling machine had not been electronically isolated and locked off by the injured person, or other persons, which would have ensured that the recalibration task could be carried out in a safe manner. Reckitt Benckiser Ltd of Dansom Lane, Hull pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £200,000 and ordered to pay £8,261.28 in costs. HAND CAUGHT IN METALWORKING LATHE A n engineering company has been fined after a worker’s hand was caught in a metalworking lathe resulting in serious injuries to his hand and arm. Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how, an employee of Martland Rollers Limited, had been using emery cloth by hand to smooth down a part which was turning in a lathe at the company’s site in Cricket Street, Wigan. A glove he was wearing became drawn into the moving parts and his arm followed, causing breaks, lacerations and nerve damage. An investigation by the Health and Safety executive (HSE) found that the employee had been undertaking a trial period at the company with a view to permanent employment. Martland Rollers Limited failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment and did not provide adequate training or supervision to prevent the new employee engaging in such a dangerous work activity. Martland Rollers Limited of Southport, Merseyside pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £13,300 and ordered to pay costs of £3,284. Breaches