The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted an explosives company, after an employee lost some of his fingers in machinery.

In February 2008, the worker was employed by Orica UK Ltd at their Muirside site in Fife, Scotland. On the day of the accident, he was filling a Mobile Explosives Manufacturing Unit with emulsion, which was being pumped into the vehicle’s tank.

He tried to unblock a clogged auger feed device by reaching into the inspection hatch area with his hand, but the machinery started to turn again unexpectedly. The employee lost two-and-a-half fingers from his left hand in the accident – but has since returned to the same job with the company.

On Tuesday, 20 October at Dunfermline Sheriff’s Court, Orica UK Ltd of Roburite Centre, Wigan in Lancashire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and also Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company was fined £10,000 in total.

The HSE investigation into the accident found deficiencies in Orica’s risk assessment procedures – and inspectors also found that there was no safe system of work for clearing blockages. The augers were ‘inadequately guarded’ and the company provided insufficient supervision and training, which led to the development of unsafe working practices, said the investigating officers.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Colin Hutchinson called the accident ‘serious and avoidable’.

‘Augers were blocking on a regular basis as a result of a change in raw material in 2003,’ said Mr Hutchinson. ‘It was known that the new material was susceptible to moisture absorption, which caused it to break down and pack solidly in the augers, blocking them.

‘Yet the company failed to review its procedures, assess the risks, provide a safe system of work – or provide suitable training to employees who operated the trucks,’ he added.

‘All companies conducting similar operations must learn from this incident by making sure their safety procedures are both sufficient and rigidly followed,’ Mr Hutchinson warned.

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