Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
Knauf have been fined £4,000 for breach of health and safety regulations after a worker trapped his finger in plasterboard machinery.
The incident occurred during a cleaning operation of the rollers on the plasterboard machine in December 2007. The guards were removed and the machinery switched on, with the rollers rotating at production speed.
One man trapped his finger which caused severe and long-term injuries, such that they have affected his ability to perform basic tasks in day-to-day life.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that no suitable health and safety risk assessment had been carried out prior to the cleaning taking place.
Knauf UK GMBH pleaded guilty to breaching the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. The firm was fined £4,000, with £3,204 costs.
