HSE fines roll company following fatal accident

ERJ staff report (DS)

Manchester, UK - The UK-based Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Duco International Limited for failing to provide a safe system of work which led to a death at a site on the Slough Trading Estate. The firm was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay costs of £43,352.

Reading Crown Court heard Mitesh Prashar, 24, of Slough, was operating an automatic inspection machine, which quality checks rolls of rubber and cloth printing blanket before sending to customers. The blanket moves through the machine from one reel to another via a photographic unit, checking the fabric for flaws.

Though nobody witnessed the incident, at about 2am on 15 January 2008 colleagues heard Mr Prashar cry out. His body was subsequently found with his left arm, shoulder, head and torso trapped between the rubberised blanket and the roller. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The HSE investigation found the company had not assessed the hazards of using the machine and it had not been checked after modification. Inspectors also found there was no guarding to prevent access to the dangerous parts of the machine and Duco International Ltd had failed to give adequate information, instruction or training to employees using the machine.

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Press release from HSE