The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a building firm after a worker’s hand was dragged into machinery and nailed to a pallet.

In March 2008, the employee was working for Pontrilas Timber & Builders’ Merchants Ltd of Pontrilas in Herefordshire, when the automatic wooden pallet-making machine started up unexpectedly. The machine drew in the man’s hand and nailed him by the wrist and hand to the top of a pallet.

The HSE investigation found that there was no guard across the front of the machine to prevent access to dangerous moving parts of the machinery.

On Monday, 12 October at Herefordshire Magistrates’ Court, Pontrilas Timber & Builders’ Merchants Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £3,500 with £8,973 costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Luke Messenger said the accident could have been ‘easily prevented’.

‘Automated machinery like this – where people are required to feed materials in – always runs the risk of trapping arms and hands. Guards or protective devices should be provided. The fact the machinery started unexpectedly was an added complication – but with the proper safety precautions in place, the injured party’s hands wouldn’t have been able to be pulled inside.’

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