Firms fined over injury

Two companies must pay out over £10,000 after a worker at a Cannock firm had four fingers sliced off by a hydraulic press.

Rimac Fabrications Ltd of Cannock and Edbro Machine Tools Ltd in Burntwood were ordered to pay after being taken to court by the Health and Safety Executive.

The case followed an incident in June last year when a worker had all four fingers of his left hand sliced off as he reached into the machine and another worker activated it.

Rimac, of Watling Street Business Park, failed to maintain parts of the machine which left operators unprotected.

Edbro Machine Tools, of Burntwood Business Park, supplied the equipment to Rimac and were prosecuted for breaching rules on the supply of machinery.

Bosses from both companies appeared before Stafford magistrates where they pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches.

Rimac Fabrications were fined £5,000 with costs of £2,737 after being convicted of breaching a general duty to an employee.

Edbro Machine Tools Ltd pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a general duty to an employee on or around April 8 2005.

The company was ordered to pay a £1,000 fine and £1,745 costs.

Speaking afterwards, HSE inspector Andrew Bowker said: "Allowing machines to be operated with critical parts not working and without suitable and appropriate guards and safe systems of work is reckless and blatantly ignores the safety of employees.

"In this case a conscientious long-serving employee of Rimac Fabrications suffered hand injuries that will affect his life forever."