Paper shredding company fined after worker suffers severe hand injuries

The company appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court and was fined £18,000 with costs of £1375 and a victim surcharge of £120 for breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The court heard that on 31 December 2013 Stuart Rolls, who had only worked for Shred-it Limited for two weeks, badly injured his right hand when it came into contact with a mobile paper shredding machine at the company’s site at Ridgeway Industrial Estate in Iver, Buckinghamshire.

Although Mr Rolls had only worked at the company for a short while, he was alone in the shredder compartment. He tried to free a piece of paper by reaching into the shredder and his right hand came into contact with the shredder knives. Mr Rolls lost a finger, part of his thumb and the top of another finger.

The company had failed to effectively prevent access to the dangerous parts of the machinery.