A Presbar employee was removing metal build-up from the diecasting machine on 7 July 2015. This required him to stand in the middle of the machine, between the furnace pot and the front bar.
The machine's robot arm was holding a ladle filled with 400°C molten metal. It moved, trapping the worker. He had a cardiac arrest and sustained fourth degree burns.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had only part guarded the machine, despite having carried out a risk assessment prior to the accident that identified contact with the ladle and entrapment as potential hazards.
Presbar Diecasting pleaded guilty to breaching reg 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, which covers preventing access to dangerous parts of machinery. It was fined £140,000 at Manchester Crown Court and ordered to pay £9,789 in costs.
