A worker working with Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited did maintenance work on a grain dryer at East of Scotland Farmers on 28 June 2020.
He inadvertently placed his hand into the blades of an unguarded rotary fan in the grain dryer.
Unfortunately, the fan of the grain dryer was rotating at 1200 revolutions per minute when the blade came into contact with the worker’s hand, resulting in his little and ring fingers being amputated. He was off work for seven weeks due to the incident.
Health and Safety Executive Investigation Report (lost of two fingers)
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into this incident found that Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited had failed to conduct a risk assessment of the employee’s tasks. On the day of this incident, there was no risk assessment for the work or any safe working procedure. More so, workers must be given clear information when using machinery, and steps must be taken to prevent access to dangerous machinery parts.
HSE guidance can be found in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) (hse.gov.uk).
Fine from the Incidence (lost of two fingers)
Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited, Glenearn Road, Perth, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22 of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, and they were fined £10,000 at Perth Sheriff Court on 16 February 2024.
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Health and Safety Executive principal inspector Fiona MacNeill, while reacting to the incident, said:
“This incident could have easily been avoided by following a safe working procedure and preventing access to dangerous moving parts.”
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