A Co Mayo plant where a worker lost his life last year was fined £4,250 yesterday for breaches of the Factories Act as well as safety, health and welfare-at-work regulations.
B. International Ltd (trading as Oasis) of Bunree Industrial Estate, Ballina, was also ordered by Judge Mary Devins at Ballina District Court to pay £1,150 costs and witnesses' expenses.
The company, which manufactures water cooler units, pleaded guilty to five summonses which included failing to securely fence the cutting blades of a machine used to grind plastic containers.
Oasis was also summonsed for failing to ensure the safety of employees, in particular Mr James Collins (26), from Fotish, Crossmolina, who died on June 6th, 2000, when he became trapped in the grinding machine after he tried to release a blockage. Mr Collins could not be freed until his trapped leg was amputated, but it was too late to save his life.
In a prosecution taken by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), the firm was also summonsed for failing to possess an assessment in writing of the risks to safety at the place of work. It was also taken to court for failing to provide adequate safety and health training for employees, including Mr Collins, and, in particular, information and instruction about the use of the grinder.
The plant manager, Paul Gallagher, who pleaded guilty of failing to obtain a safety statement after the grinding machine was modified to reduce noise, was fined £300. A nolle prosequi was entered in respect of summonses against Mr James Preston, Oasis general manager.
Mr Mark Rowlands, an inspector with the HSA, told the court that on June 6th, 2000, Mr Collins sustained fatal injuries after becoming entangled in the machine which was used to grind down scrap plastic. Mr Rowlands described the unit as similar to "an old-fashioned meat-mincer".
Mr Rowlands, in reply to Mr Diarmuid Connolly for the HSA, said the machine used to jam at regular intervals as the rotating cutters were not able to cope with the volume of material fed into it. Investigation suggested the normal method of freeing blockages was to switch the machine off and climb into it.
Mr Karl Searson, a chartered mechanical engineer, said the company maintained a standard manual that came with the rotor-grinding machine. The manual did not specifically deal with blockages. Safety training was given to all employees.
Judge Devins said the appallingly tragic death was to be enormously regretted and she sympathised with the family of the deceased worker. However, she made it clear that the death had to be separated from the prosecution. She was dealing with the matter on a plea of guilty, and the penalties should not be seen as punitive in any way.