Worker loses fingers in between metal rollers
A Tyneside firm has today been fined £8,000 after a worker's hand was badly injured when it was drawn between two rotating metal rollers.
North Tyneside Magistrates' Court heard how Gary Burke, 45, of North Shields, lost his little finger and part of the other fingers on his right hand following the incident at Formica Ltd on Coast Road, North Shields.
Offshore industry warned over 'not good enough' safety statistics
The offshore oil and gas industry has been warned about its safety record as new statistics show increases in major injuries and unplanned hydrocarbon releases.
Figures released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that there were 50 major injuries reported in 2009/10 − up 20 on 2008/09 and higher than the average of 42 over the previous five years. No workers were killed during activities regulated by HSE for the third year running.
The combined fatal and major injury rate almost doubled to 192 per 100,000 workers in 2009/10 compared with 106 in 2008/09 and 156 in 2007/08.
A marked rise was also recorded in 2009/10 of the combined number of major and significant hydrocarbon releases, regarded as potential precursors to a major incident, with a provisional total of 85. There were 61 in 2008/09 − the lowest since HSE began regulating the industry.
A 21-year-old man has died from head injuries following a digger crash at an industrial unit in Blackburn. The man was using a small ‘Bobcat’ digger at the site in Gordon Mill, Lower Hollin Bank Street, when it crashed.