A serious accident that led to a worker losing his arm in machinery has been recalled in court.

The Northern Ireland waste company involved has been fined after breaching health and safety legislation which resulted in an employee being badly injured.

Natural World Products Ltd. was fined £5,000 at Newry Crown Court last week after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety at work legislation.

The case arose after a 20 year-old employee became trapped after coming into contact with an unguarded rotating conveyor drum on a screening machine.

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Because of the serious injuries he sustained his left arm was amputated.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) began investigating the incident at the waste composting site in Keady Co Armagh on in June last year.

The HSENI investigation revealed that the original guard had been made smaller so that maintenance staff could have access to the internal working of the machine whilst it was still running.

After the hearing Mr Kevin Campbell, an inspector with HSENI's Major Investigation Team said: "It is essential that companies identify and address hazards within the workplace. Measures must be taken to control and limit access to dangerous moving parts of machines.

"Companies must ensure that maintenance teams are trained in identifying missing or defective guards and the importance of replacing guards that are removed during maintenance operations."

(LB/BMcC)