Skip to main content
IOSH Magazine: Safety, Health and Wellbeing in the world of work - return to the homepage IOSH Magaazine logo
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit @ioshmagazine on Twitter
  • Visit IOSH Magazine on LinkedIn
MEMBER PREDICTIONS
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
November/December issue

Main navigation

  • Home
    • Browse previous issues
    • Member accolades
    • Member tributes
  • Health
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Sickness absence
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Rehabilitation
      • Personal injury
      • Return to work
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Achieving Fellowship
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Professional skills
      • Qualifications
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Jobs
  • Covid-19
  • Knowledge Bank
    • Back to basics
    • Book club
    • Infographics
    • Podcast
    • Reports
    • Webinars
    • Videos
  • Products & Services
  • Management
    • Human factors
      • Sickness absence
      • Accident reduction
      • Behavioural safety
      • Control of contractors
      • Migrant workers
      • Older workers
      • Reporting
      • Safe systems of work
      • Young workers
    • Leadership and management
      • Employee involvement
      • Leadership
      • Management systems
    • Management standards
      • ISO 45001
      • ISO 45003
    • Planning
      • Assurance
      • Compliance
      • Emergency planning
      • Insurance
    • Strategy
      • Corporate governance
      • Performance/results
      • Regulation/enforcement
      • Reputation
    • Sustainability
      • Human capital and Vision Zero
  • Health
    • COVID-19
    • Mental health and wellbeing
      • Bullying
      • Drugs and alcohol
      • Mental health
      • Stress
      • Wellbeing
    • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
      • Ergonomics
      • Manual handling
      • Vibration
    • Occupational cancer
      • Asbestos
      • Hazardous substances
      • Radiation
  • Safety
    • Incident management
      • Chemicals
      • Electricity
      • Fire
      • First aid
      • Slips and trips
    • Non-health related fatalities
      • Road safety
      • Work at height
    • Risk management
      • Confined spaces
      • Disability
      • Legionella
      • Lifting operations
      • Lone workers
      • Noise
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Violence at work
      • Work equipment
      • Workplace transport
  • Skills
    • Communication
    • Personal performance
      • Career development
      • Competencies
      • Personal development
      • Qualifications
      • Professional skills
      • Achieving Fellowship
    • Stakeholder management
    • Working with others
      • Leadership
      • Future Leaders
  • Transport and logistics
  • Third sector
  • Retail
  • Mining and quarrying
  • Rail
  • Rehabilitation
    • Personal injury
    • Return to work
  • Utilities
  • Manufacturing and engineering
  • Construction
  • Sector: IOSH Branch
    • Sector: Northern Ireland
    • Sector: Midland
    • Sector: Merseyside
    • Sector: Manchester and North West Districts
    • Sector: Ireland East
    • Sector: Ireland
    • Sector: Edinburgh
    • Sector: Desmond-South Munster
    • Sector: Qatar
    • Sector: Oman
    • Singapore
    • Sector: South Coast
    • Sector: South Wales
    • Sector: Thames Valley
    • Sector: Tyne and Wear
    • Sector: UAE
    • Sector: West of Scotland
    • Sector: Yorkshire
  • Healthcare
  • Sector: Fire
  • Sector: Financial/general services
  • Sector: Energy
  • Education
  • Sector: Communications and media
  • Chemicals
  • Sector: Central government
  • Catering and leisure
  • Agriculture and forestry
  • Sector: Local government
  • Sector: IOSH Group
    • Sector: Financial Services
    • Sector: Sports Grounds and Events
    • Rural industries
    • Sector: railway
    • Public Services
    • Sector: Offshore
    • Sector: Hazardous Industries
    • Sector: Food and Drink
    • Sector: Fire Risk Management
    • Education
    • Construction
    • Sector: Aviation and Aerospace
Quick links:
  • Home
  • Categories
  • Topics
  • Safety
  • Risk management
  • Work equipment
Manufacturing and engineering
News

SIG Trading implements gross misconduct policy after worker loses fingers in machine

Open-access content Thursday 14th February 2019

SIG Trading implements gross misconduct policy after worker loses fingers in machine

The fine was imposed on SIG Trading after the accident at its A Steadman and Son plant in Welton, Cumbria, on 21 October 2015.

Machine operative Matthew Hook was working on the RAS XXL-Center, a 6.4 m long electrically powered machine, which folds metal sheets that SIG Trading sells to the steel building and agricultural sectors.

His dominant left hand became trapped in the jaws of the machine and he had to have parts of four fingers amputated.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the company had failed to ensure workers used the folding machine only when the guards were in place.

HSE inspector Leona Cameron told IOSH Magazine that it was "custom and practice" for operatives to circumvent the safety light curtain and carry the machine's control foot pedal into the danger zone. This allowed them to stand closer to the machinery than they should have done so they could work on small pieces of steel.

The workers would then "kick back" with their leg to interrupt the light beam, causing a signal for the machine to stop.

Cameron said: "The foot control pedal should have been bolted to the floor so workers couldn't move it in front of the light curtains. It was a very dangerous process that had developed."

Hook was inside the danger zone when the accident happened.

Carlisle Crown Court was told that SIG Trading was aware of this unsafe practice but had taken no action.

A risk assessment in 2013 highlighted that employees were working inside the light guards.

"There is a risk of a person's hand being crushed by the upper and lower clamping beams and flanged folding beams," it said, and recommended that machine operatives immediately stop working within the light beam.

However, the company failed to implement the risk assessment and the practice continued. Cameron said an assessment in 2014 "removed any reference to the practice of operatives working inside the light guard or the risk that arose as a result".

She added: "The section that had been labelled 'moving parts', in which the 2013 risk assessment had identified working within the light guard, contained only the phrase 'maintain and monitor controls'."

SIG Trading pleaded guilty to breaching s 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was ordered to pay costs of almost £23,600 (see bit.ly for more information).

After the accident the company revised its risk assessment, conducted a full review of machinery operations and securely bolted the control foot pedal to the floor. Workers now caught working in the danger zone face dismissal for gross misconduct.

In 2012 a SIG Trading employee was crushed against a wall by a lorry at its Eccles warehouse in Greater Manchester, resulting in a £12,000 fine. In the previous year it had to pay £36,000 after a worker sustained serious injuries when a forklift truck twice ran him over at its warehouse in Livingston, Scotland.

In 2010 SIG Manufacturing was fined £25,000 after an employee lost parts of three fingers in an unguarded machine press.

Sentencing guidelines application

Culpability: Medium
Seriousness of harm risked: Level B
Likelihood of harm: Medium
Harm category: 3, raised to 2 to reflect the number of workers exposed to the risk
Size of the organisation: Very large
Turnover: £1.2bn
Starting point for fine: £1m, reduced to £750m
Mitigation: 20% reduction for early guilty plea
Final penalty: £600,000 plus costs of £23,594
Topics
Work equipment
Manufacturing and engineering
News

You might also like...

Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Health Safety & Assurance Advisor

Birmingham
£38000 - £42000 per annum
Reference
5452761

Health and Safety Manager

Belfast
Up to £55000 per annum + Car & Excellent Benefits
Reference
5452758

Health and Safety Advisor

City of Westminster
Up to £55000 per annum + Car & Travel
Reference
5452757
See all jobs »

Today's top reads

Sign up for regular e-alerts

Receive the latest news and features, free to your inbox

Sign up

Subscribe to IOSH magazine

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
IOSH Covers
​
FOLLOW US
Twitter
LinkedIn
YouTube
CONTACT US
Contact us
Tel +44 (0)20 7880 6200
​

IOSH

About IOSH
Become a member
IOSH Events
MyIOSH

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to IOSH magazine
Write for IOSH magazine

IOSH Magazine

Health
Safety
Management
Skills
IOSH Jobs

© 2023 IOSH • IOSH is not responsible for the content of external sites

ioshmagazine.com and IOSH Magazine are published by Redactive Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ