Manufacturer fined after worker crushed by roller

Sheffield Magistrates’ court heard how on 8 February 2017, the worker was reconfiguring some wire drawing equipment which had previously been used to apply a zinc coating to wire at a site on Shepcote Lane in Sheffield. The worker slid the roller in the carriage towards the edge of the mezzanine. He had to lie on his stomach on the mezzanine to access bolts connecting a roller weighing approximately 500kg which was above his head and quench unit below.

He unbolted the two parts, with a colleague using a fork lift truck to hold the weight of the quench unit. As they separated, the metal carriage which held the roller tilted forward. The roller landed on his lower back. He suffered fractures of his pelvis and lumbar region of his spine.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company was undergoing a period of redundancy and removing equipment from site.

To separate parts of the equipment, a section of the mezzanine guard rails was removed, and no measures were put in place to prevent a fall.

The roller was able to tilt as it was on wheels, which had aligned with slots cut into the track. Protruding arms of the carriage struck the mezzanine floor first, preventing the full weight of the roller from crushing him.

Betafence Ltd, previously of Shepcote Lane, Sheffield pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £7,403.38 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Laura Hunter commented: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

“A suitable and sufficient risk assessment would have identified that uncontrolled movement of the roller or wiping unit could have presented a crushing risk.”