Laundry worker seriously injured in an accident at work

A laundry worker suffered serious injuries after becoming trapped on a conveyor after removing a blockage - 6th October 2008

 

A laundry company has been prosecuted following an employee suffering serious injuries in an accident in the workplace on the 20th April 2006.

The worker suffered his industrial injuries when he climbed onto a conveyor to remove a blockage which had stopped input into a washing system. When he removed the blockage this activated the conveyor which resulted in him becoming trapped by the neck and hands leading to him suffering his workplace injuries, which included internal burns to the throat and external burns and bruising.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the workers employers, Eastern Counties Laundries Ltd of Coggeshall, for breaching section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They pleaded guilty at Colchester Crown Court and were fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £15,000 in costs.

It was found that blockages in the washing system were a common occurrence but there was not sufficient operator training or formal procedures for removing them, nor had a proper risk assessment been carried out. If these measures had been in taken it may have prevented this employee suffering his injury at work.