A national malt company, Pauls Malt Limited, has been fined after a worker had to have the lower part of his left leg amputated, when he became entangled in machinery inside a grain silo.
On 27 October 2008, Derek Kinmond was trying to fix machinery within a silo when he became caught in it at the company's premises at Sidlaw Grain Store, Sidlaw, Burrelton, Perthshire.
The grain silo was emptied using a large piece of rotating machinery known as a sweep auger. The sweep auger had not been moving around the silo so Mr Kinmond switched off the electrical supply and went into the silo on two occasions in order to attempt to release the machinery which appeared to be blocked with grain. On his third attempt he did not isolate the power to the screw auger, and whilst inside the silo, he slipped and his legs became entangled in the auger.
Mr Kidmond was taken to hospital, where his left leg was amputated below the knee. His right leg was also badly broken and is still held together by plates and pins.
At Perth Sheriff Court, on Tuesday 4 October 2011, Pauls Malt Limited were fined £8,000 after they pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Read the full Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Press Release.