A linen services company has been fined £100,000 after a man’s hand had to be amputated.
Scott Drummond, from Rhyl, North Wales, suffered serious injuries to his hand after it became trapped in machinery at the laundry operated by Johnsons Textile Services Limited in Bumpers Lane, Chester, on 24 June 2021. The injuries were so serious that his hand was later surgically amputated above the wrist.
The 45-year-old had been investigating a fault on a large commercial dryer when he was caught by the machine. He had been working on a step ladder and as he lost his balance, reaching out to prevent a fall, resulting in his arm being crushed by the mechanism. He was left trapped and in extreme pain as he tried to call for help.
The moving parts of the dryer were unguarded, and although there was a one metre exclusion rule around the machine, this was vague and took no account of a person making an involuntary movement towards the danger area.
***
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Johnsons Textile Services Limited of Monks Way, Preston Brook, Cheshire, had not fully assessed the risks involved, had not provided suitable guarding, and failed to put in place an adequate safe system of work.