A Manchester-based engineering company, Proline Engineering Limited, has been fined £500,000 following a workplace accident in which an 18-year-old apprentice suffered the loss of two fingers while operating a horizontal bandsaw.
The incident occurred on 7 November 2022 at the company’s site in Worsley, when the apprentice was just one month into his work placement.
As part of his apprenticeship the man, now 20, was being taught welding, which required the cutting of steel sections for practice. However, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation revealed failings by the company in its training, safety procedures, and supervision of the apprentice.
Safety Failures
The HSE investigation found that the apprentice had been given only a brief period of verbal training before he was permitted to operate the horizontal bandsaw independently. The equipment, located in a shipping container away from the main workshop, required the removal of metal debris that would build up beneath the sawblade during use.
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On the day of the incident, while unsupervised, the apprentice noticed that debris was preventing the saw from completing a full cut. As he attempted to clear the blockage, his fingers came into contact with the moving sawblade, causing the immediate loss of a finger and severe injuries to the other.
The investigation identified multiple safety failures at Proline Engineering, including a lack of proper risk assessment, inadequate guarding on the bandsaw, and insufficient safety protocols. The HSE found that the company had not established an adequate safe system of work for operating the saw and that its provision of information, instruction, training, and supervision for the task was inconsistent and insufficient.
HSE inspector Tracy Fox said, “Had even the most basic safeguards been put in place this incident would have been avoided. The risks arising from operating machines such as bandsaws are well known. HSE has clear guidance on the provision and use of work equipment that can help in preventing incidents like this from happening.
“We would like highlight that all employers should make sure they properly assess their workplace for these risks and act to ensure that effective measures are in place to minimise the risks associated with operating machinery. It is crucial that as part of this assessment employers consider and manage any increased risks that may be associated with inexperienced employees.”
Life-altering Injuries
Proline Engineering Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which requires employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees. At a hearing in Manchester Magistrates’ Court on 6 November 2024, the company was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £5,317 in costs.
Tracy Fox added, “This young man was at the very start of his career. As a result of this companies failures, he sustained serious and irreversible injuries that have been truly life changing. Those injuries have impacted on many aspects of his life and resulted in him having to undergo numerous operations and procedures.
“Once a keen mountain biker and member of his local gym, his hand grip is such that he can no longer take part in those activities that he used to love.”
