ADA Machining Services in Ashton fined as worker's hand almost severed

A Tameside manufacturing firm was fined £20,000 after a worker's hand was almost severed by a machine.

The employee at ADA Machining Services, on Ashton-under-Lyne's Kayley Industrial Estate, was in control of a borer on March 24 last year when he lost his balance.

When he tried to restore his balance, the worker's hand was caught in the machine and it was almost severed.

This employee is still unable to work.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive established there was insufficient protection on the machine, plus an insufficient risk assessment for the machine.

It was also a standard practice for a worker to walk on a rotating table, which is what the employee was doing at the time of the incident.

The manufacturing firm admitted a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act and it was sentenced to a fine of £20,000.

It was also ordered to cover £4,952 in costs.

It was not the first time ADA Machining Services came to the attention of the Health and Safety Executive, after another incident in 2010 involving the same machinery.

Lorna Sherlock, an inspector for the HSE, said: "This injury was easily prevented, and the risk should have been identified and eliminated when the company were given advice on guarding this machine by HSE [in 2010].

"Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery."

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