Forging company fined following death of employee

A forging company has been fined £750,000 after an operative became entangled in the moving parts of a 20‑metre lathe while using handheld emery cloth. The operative suffered catastrophic injuries which caused their death.

A HSE investigation found the company had not prohibited the dangerous practice of applying emery cloth by hand to rotating components, had failed to prevent access to moving parts, had not ensured PPE did not create an entanglement risk, and lacked a suitable risk assessment or safe operating procedure for the lathe. HSE guidance states emery cloth should never be applied directly by hand to a rotating component because of the risk of being drawn into machinery.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.