Northampton firm fined after employee left unable to work following machine crush

An RSM Castings worker suffered serious injuries when a moulding machine closed on his head and upper body at Round Spinney industrial estate base last year, Northampton Magistrates Court heard on Monday (July 29).

A subsequent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there was inadequate safeguarding to prevent access between the closing pattern parts of the moulding machine.

RSM Castings pleaded guilty to a regulation breach and was fined £32,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,739.70.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Neil Ward said: “This case highlights the importance of foundries checking guarding on their machines and not to be complacent about machinery safety.

"In this case RSM Castings failed to ensure that the machine was guarded to the correct standard and it could have easily resulted in a fatal injury.”

On April 11, 2018, the employee, who has asked not to be named, leant into the machine at the firm's base on North Portway Close to attempt to light the burners, but the pattern plate shut on him.

They suffered extensive injuries, including a broken neck, back fractures, broken ribs, a fractured shoulder blade, a ruptured spleen, torn liver, a punctured lung, facial fractures and loss of teeth.