Wyndeham Heron fined for Health and Safety breaches

Wyndeham Heron has been fined more than 30,000 after two employees were injured on presses in 2009.

Press assistants Paul Howard, 49, and Mark Frost, 46, sustained injuries when their hands became trapped in machinery in two separate incidents.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found "a lack of training, supervision and appropriate equipment" and that there had been no assessment on how to carry out the work safely.

On 27 March 2009, Howard fractured his thumb when he tried to clear a paper jam in the stacker unit of a press. While on 18 November Frost was working on another machine when a problem was experienced with the drive belts of a conveyer.

According to the HSE, the moving parts were unguarded and it had become common practice for employees to use objects, or their hands, to deal with conveyer belt problems. While attempting to remedy the problem, Frost's hand became caught in the belts and was forced against a roller crushing his fingers.

HSE inspector, Paul Grover, said: "Incidents like this are entirely preventable. Printing presses are a potentially very dangerous piece of equipment, which require adequate guards and safe working procedures for dealing with every kind of operational occurrence. It is not good enough to rely on ad hoc practices to clear paper jams and to deal with other mechanical failures.

"Employers must ensure that appropriate training, supervision and equipment are provided. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment must also be carried out. Advice and guidance is available and easily accessible to help duty holders comply with the law and keep people safe."

Wyndeham Heron was fined £15,000 with £2,490 costs for the charge relating to Frost's injury and a further £10,000 with £3,171 costs in relation to Howard's.

The HSE added that each year approximately 1,200 work related accidents occur at print facilities.

Wyndeham Heron was not available for comment at the time of writing.

Earlier this year, a number one press minder at Wyndeham Heron's sister company Southernprint became trapped in the folding unit of a 72pp Lithoman press after an inch button stuck in causing the cylinder to draw his hand onto a metal guide.