Huddersfield company Marshalls fined after worker loses fingertip

Jul 11 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A HUDDERSFIELD landscaping company has been fined after a worker was injured in an industrial accident.

Marshalls, whose headquarters is in Birkby, was fined £3,000, with £2,955 costs, by Halifax Magistrates yesterday after concrete worker Jeffrey Sampson lost a fingertip in a paving machine.

The accident happened at West Lane Works, Southowram, on November 24, when Mr Sampson attempted to move a concrete mould which was trapped on the machine.

The court heard Mr Sampson, of Halifax, had been unable to move the machine’s guard rail because of moulds stacked on top of it.

He lost the tip of his right middle finger when his hand touched working parts below the surface of the machine.

Marshalls, which has 2,500 employees, admitted failing to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machine and failing to carry out a suitable risk assessment.