Industry news
Worker died after machine injury
Posted Thu, 09 Feb 2012
A worker at a company which repairs and maintains railway vehicles died from head injuries sustained while using unguarded machinery, a court heard.
John Smith, 53, was injured as he worked at an axle lathe at Railcare's factory on Charles Street in Springburn, Glasgow, on December 15 2008, where he had worked for around 30 years.
The company was fined £133,000 at Glasgow Sheriff Court after admitting breaking the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The Health and Safety Executive found that it was common practice at Railcare for workers to clean axles on a lathe while the chuck of the lathe was unguarded.
Railcare admitted it had failed to carry out sufficient risk assessments and had not given workers adequate training, information, supervision and instruction on the use of the lathe.
Copyright Press Association 2012