Leeds plastics firm fined after workers lose fingers in separate accidents
Commercial Lines Limited, trading as HLN Supplies, admitted to health and safety offences
A plastics production company in Leeds has been fined following two separate incidents where workers lost fingers due to unsafe machinery.
Both accidents happened within a ten-day period in August 2024.
Commercial Lines Limited, trading as HLN Supplies, admitted to charges from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) related to inadequate guarding of machinery, which led to both incidents.
On August 12 that year, Angela Morrison, a 61-year-old grandmother, sustained severe injuries when her hand made contact with a large metal rotating disk while clearing a blockage on a sanding machine.
Angela, who has worked for the company for 28 years, underwent surgery resulting in the loss of her middle finger, and another finger will require amputation.
Angela said: “I am naturally right-handed so everything is now much more difficult. Little things like opening the oven or getting out change in my purse.”
Just ten days later, on August 22 2024, another worker sustained severe injuries when his left hand contacted the blade of a table saw, resulting in the loss of part of a finger and necessitating further surgery.
The HSE investigation revealed insufficient guarding on machinery and inadequate training for operating table saws. The company also lacked proper risk assessments for the tasks being carried out.
Commercial Lines Limited was fined £16,000 plus £6,534 in costs at Leeds Magistrates Court on March 26 for breaching health and safety regulations.
HSE Inspector Gavin Carruthers stated: “For this company to have not one but two completely avoidable incidents in such a short time shows systemic health and safety failings.”
“Both workers have been left with injuries that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. If proper guarding, training, and safe systems of work had been in place, these two workers would not have sustained such life-changing injuries.”