Man Loses Fingers At Milton Keynes Factory

A workplace injury expert has called on manufacturing firms to recognise the importance of installing proper machine guards, after a company was fined over an incident in which an employee lost three fingers in a work accident.

Daniel Winters, 29, was cleaning debris from a bubble wrap-making machine at a factory in Milton Keynes when his right hand was caught on an in-running nip and became trapped between two rollers.

Sansetsu (UK) Ltd was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay costs in relation to the incident in May last year, after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive revealed that no guarding had been put in place to prevent access to the dangerous parts of the machine.

Mr Winters has since returned to work in a different capacity after suffering the serious hand injury at work.

Stephen Nye, a Partner and specialist in accident at work claims at Irwin Mitchell, said the case was similar to others that his team encounter on a regular basis.

He outlined: “Incidents of this kind demonstrate just how devastating work accidents  can be for those involved, often leaving victims with injuries which impact on them for the rest of their lives.

“Companies involved in all kinds of industrial and manufacturing work need to recognise the importance of health and safety in the workplace, particularly the need to ensure everything is done to protect those who work with machinery from any potential harm.

“Machine guards, maintenance and comprehensive training can play a vital role and we would urge all employers to ensure they regularly assess risks and review their safety procedures in respect of all potentially hazardous machinery.

“A case like this should serve as a warning to companies that they will face legal action if they do not learn from incidents like this and adopt a pro-active attitude to employee safety.”

Our serious injury solicitors could help you claim compensation if you have suffered an injury at work that resulted in the amputation of a limb. See our Amputation Claims page or Workplace Accident Claims page for more information.