Safety failing at brick manufacturing plant

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told Kidderminster Magistrates' Court that the 48-year-old man, who does not want to be named, was fixing a fault on the brick packaging line. The line was protected by a perimeter fence with interlocked access gates, but HSE investigators found an interlock had been disconnected some days earlier. When the man climbed on the conveyor belt to fix the fault, the line restarted and a pallet lifter came down and crushed him. He suffered a serious puncture wound to his back, cracked several ribs and sustained extensive bruising. He was off work for six weeks. HSE found the interlock had been disconnected to allow a printer to be serviced, but had not been reconnected. Wienerberger had also failed to carry out an adequate assessment of the risks arising from working on the printer within the perimeter security fence and the controls required. HSE inspector Chris Gregory said: "A man suffered potentially life-changing injuries following an incident that should never have happened. Deliberately bypassed interlocking devices are a common cause of injuries in the manufacturing sector. "Free guidance on guarding standards for machinery has been available from HSE for many years and it is unacceptable to see such basic failings, particularly from a large company."