A SOUTHAMPTON recycling firm has been fined £35,000 for serious safety breaches after a worker had his hands severed while cutting metal strips on an industrial baler.
The horrifying incident happened at Metal Processing Ltd in Northam on January 8, 2014.
West Hampshire Magistrates' Court heard how Ivan Menendez' hands were severed at the wrists when they got caught in the shear point as a hydraulic-powered baler lid lowered and met the corner of the baler.
The court heard how Mr Menendez and a co-worker operated the baler between them to cut the strips on the shear point.
However the system used was flawed because there was no direct line of sight between the operator who closed the baler lid and the hands of the worker loading the strips.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that it had been a routine task at the plant, and although Mr Menendez was shown what to do by a demonstration and supervision, he had not seen or read the operating manual which says the baling machines should only be operated by one employee.
Mr Menendez who was 38 at the time was taken Southampton General Hospital, and then transferred to Salisbury Hospital where surgeons successfully reattached both hands.
He has since returned to Spain, but will need further treatment and will never regain full use of his hands.
The HSE found the firm was unable to produce evidence it had carried out a proper assessment of the risks involved in using the baler to cut metal strips.
The court heard that a month later there was a second incident at the company.
A 24-year-old worker, employed as a burner and scrapyard operative, was diagnosed with lead poisoning after spending two days cutting up a section of lead boat ballast.
The worker, from Southampton, was treated over a period of several weeks and later resigned from the company.
Metal Processing Ltd were fined a total of £35,000 and ordered to pay £3,000 in costs after admitting breaches of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, in connection with Mr Menendez' incident and two further breaches in connection with the lead poisoning incident.
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