Sonoco Cores & Paper fined £126,000 whilst changing a roll on a machine

Sonoco Cores & Paper Ltd., a Halifax paper mill firm, was fined £126,354.00 (inc. costs) after a worker suffered severe crush injuries to his right hand.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred while changing a couch roll on a board machine.
• The risk assessment for this type of work was not suitable or sufficient, 
• It had identified the hazard, yet it did not consider the likelihood or severity of the risk 
• It did not identify appropriate measures to prevent an uncontrolled fall of the machine’s hinged steel arm.
• The worker’s middle finger was severed in the machine and he required subsequent amputation of  both his index and ring fingers.  
• He is now registered as partly disabled.