Plastics Firm Fined After Two Machinery Injuries In Ten Days

Brief Summary

A Leeds plastics manufacturer was fined after two workers suffered serious finger injuries in separate machinery incidents in August 2024. The investigation found inadequate guarding, insufficient training for table saw use, and a lack of suitable risk assessment and safe work systems for cutting small materials.

What Was The Incident?

In one incident on 12 August 2024, a 61 year old worker tried to clear a blockage on a sanding machine and reached into a ventilation port. Her hand contacted a rotating metal disk and she suffered severe damage to fingers on her right hand. Ten days later, on 22 August, a 57 year old worker cut small plastic strips using a table saw and his left hand came into contact with the blade. He lost part of an index finger above the knuckle and required surgery for additional finger injury.

What Was The Outcome?

The company, Commercial Lines Limited trading as HLN Supplies, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Section 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. It was fined £16000 plus £6534 in costs at Leeds Magistrates Court on 26 March 2026.

What Lessons Can Be Learnt?

Guard machinery so dangerous parts are not reachable. Both incidents were linked to unsafe access to machinery hazards, showing that adequate guarding is fundamental and must prevent hands reaching dangerous parts during normal work and foreseeable interventions.

Improve training for specific equipment tasks. The investigation found table saw training was insufficient. Training should match the actual tasks workers carry out, including cutting small materials where risks can increase.

Put safe work systems in place for the way work is actually done. For the table saw task, there were no suitable safe work systems for cutting small materials. Firms should define safe methods, controls, and procedures for these specific activities rather than relying on general competence.

Ensure risk assessments cover the specific operations. The company failed to have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the work being carried out. Risk assessment should identify hazards for each machine and task, including blockages and small material handling.

Treat repeated serious failures as signs of systemic issues. Two completely avoidable incidents occurred within ten days. This indicates that the company had wider health and safety management weaknesses, so processes must be reviewed and corrected across equipment, training, and work planning.

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