Pirelli fined £500k for safety failure at UK plant

Carlisle, UK - Pirelli Tyres Ltd has been fined £512,000 (€574,000) after two employees were badly injured by the same machine at its production factory in Carlisle.

The employees suffered broken arms in separate incidents - in November 2013 and August 2015 - at the tire plant in north-west England.

Both had been caught by a roller on the same stripline machine, the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) further reported.

A HSE investigation found that the machine, which was manufactured by Pirelli in 2003, was not properly guarded, despite the first incident.

Carlisle magistrates’ court has also ordered Pirelli to pay costs of £5,800 in addition to the fine, according to a 25-Sept statement from the HSE.

“Dangerous parts of machinery must be guarded to prevent access,” commented HSE inspector Matthew Tinsley speaking after the hearing.

Machines that are built in-house for a company’s own use must meet modern guarding standards, just as if they were going to be placed on the open market, he added.

“This machine should have been appropriately guarded from first-use but, failing that, the first incident should have prompted a thorough review of the machine,” said Tinsley.

In a written statement to ERJ, a Pirelli spokesperson insisted that the company was “fully committed” to the health and safety of its employees, customers and visitors.

“We stress our regret over the occurrence of these past incidents and have complied with all recommendations from the HSE to alleviate such risks from our sites,” he said.