A company has been fined £5,000 plus costs after pleading guilty to a breach of health and safety legislation, following the investigation of an incident where a maintenance worker received serious injuries.

Ryobi Aluminium Casting (UK) was fined at Belfast Magistrates Court on 13 November.

The incident occurred when the maintenance worker leaned into the working area at the back of one of the furnaces between an upright steel column and a shuttle conveyor. The conveyor moved forward, trapping him and he sustained two fractured vertebrae, one broken rib, a damaged kidney and crush injuries to his lungs as a result.

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The company accepted that they should have been properly guarded. Since the incident, the company has installed a comprehensive captive key system controlling access to this area, thus preventing any potential repeat of this type of incident.

Following the hearing, Ken Logan, principal inspector of HSENI, said: "This incident which had the potential to kill a worker was a clear case of poor machinery guarding. Whilst the actions taken following this incident have demonstrated a good improvement in health and safety management by the company, it must be said that the incident was preventable.

"The standard of machinery guarding is something that all companies involved in manufacturing must keep under constant review. The lesson from this incident is that all risks from machinery must be fully assessed and careful consideration given to the maintenance function when deciding on the appropriate method of machinery guarding."

(JM)