Call me back

To speak to a professional, please enter your details below or call 0151 735 1000

First Name
Surname
Email
Phone
Nature of Request I would like to receive future offers, information and correspondence via email, phone and post.

Please do not fill this field in, entering any data into this field will make the submission fail:

Firm fined after series of serious injuries

A Troon sawmilling firm has been fined a total of £28,000 after two of its employees were severely injured in separate incidents just months apart.

In May 2007, 55-year-old John Wilson was working for Adam Wilson and Sons in Troon, Ayrshire, when he fell through a gap in a raised walkway, left open after work had been done on a conveyor belt below. He suffered serious injuries to his arm and permanent loss of movement in his shoulder as a result of the fall.

Less than three months later, 59-year-old Robert Cumming was working for the same firm at the same plant when his head was trapped between the metal parts of a hoist after it was accidentally switched on. He suffered serious crush injuries to his head and neck and required emergency surgery and attends ongoing physiotherapy for his injuries.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigations found that Adam Wilson and Sons did not have safe systems of work in place for maintaining the conveyor belt, or the hoist machine.

The investigations also discovered that staff had not been given enough information, training, instruction and supervision on the importance of safe systems of work and machinery isolation when doing maintenance work.

"These were two serious and entirely preventable accidents which will affect both Mr Wilson and Mr Cumming for the rest of their lives," said HSE Inspector Helen Diamond.

Adam Wilson and Sons Limited, of Harbour Road, Troon, Ayrshire, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Section 2(1), 2(2)(a) in the May incident, and to breaching Section 2(1), 2(2)(a) and (c) in the August incident.

In total, the company was fined £28,000 - £8,000 for the first incident, £20,000 for the second incident.

"Employers need to recognise the importance of making sure that safe systems of work are in place to prevent these sorts of accident, and to give their employees the training, information, instruction and supervision they need to carry out their work safely," added Ms Diamond.