In a work accident involving a roller machine, a woman had three of her fingers severed .
In January 2009, Cheryl Bridge suffered the terrible accident at paper tablecloth manufacturer Emboss Ltd. She was attempting to clean a set of large printer rollers, using a cloth while the machine was still running. The cleaning cloth became caught between the two rollers, and she tried to free it with her hand.
Unfortunately, her hand was pulled into the two rollers, and she suffered serious injuries to her fingers. The injury left her with the little finger on her right hand amputated, and the index finger and ring finger on the same hand amputated below the second joint.
The guard on the machine that protects the rollers was not in use at the time of the accident, and that the correct procedure for cleaning the rollers was rarely followed in the factory, found an investigation by the HSE. This involved using a spatula rather than a cloth, and stopping the machine in stages rather than running in it at full speed.
The company pleaded guilty to breaking health and safety regulation. At Liverpool Crown Court this week, they were fined £30,000.