Posted by Editorial Team

Public liability insurance customers have been warned about the importance of guarding dangerous machinery following the prosecution of a builders' merchant.

Pontrilas Timber and Builders' Merchants of Hertfordshire was ordered to pay over £12,000 after it pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Hereford magistrates court heard how an employee had his hand and wrist nailed to the top of a wooden pallet when the unguarded machine started to draw him in, trapping him beneath a beam of nailing hammers.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Luke Messenger said that this was a horrific incident which could have been prevented.

"Automated machines where people are required to feed materials in always run the risk of trapping arms and hands. Guards or protective devices should be provided," he added.

Earlier this year, public liability insurance customers were given an example of the amount they could be fined for failing to guard dangerous machines.

TC Industries of Europe, London, was made to pay more than £6,000 after a worker lost a finger and had another crushed in stacking a machine.