Plastics Company Fined Over Accident

Companies are being urged by a top injury lawyer to recognise the long-term impact that accidents at work can have on their staff, after a company was fined over an incident which saw a young employee’s arm dragged into a machine.

The Health and Safety Executive revealed that the worker, who was 17 at the time and suffered a dislocated shoulder and broken arm, has not yet gained full use of his hand since the incident in 2008.

General All Purpose Plastics of Blackburn was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,500 in relation to the work accident, which it is believed could have been avoided through the use of fixed machine guards.

David Urpeth of Irwin Mitchell, who specialises in work accident claims, said: “This case highlights why companies need to focus on health and safety issues.

“The serious injuries sustained by the young victim in this case mean he has been unable to regain full use of this hand, a situation which is likely to have had a serious impact on his life since the accident.

“I hope that the fine in this case serves as a warning to firms that they must take the safety of employees as seriously as possible.”