Conveyor accident leads to fine for tyre recycler

ERJ staff report (DS)

Belfast, Northern Ireland - OM Tyre Recycling Limited has been fined £7,500, in addition to a 12 month conditional discharge, plus £1,764 costs after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing at Newry Crown Court on 24 September 2012 to four breaches of health and safety legislation.

The case arose out of an incident that occurred on 22nd July 2011 at the company's premises in Mayobridge. Mr Andrzej Zembala, an employee was trying to clear a blockage of accumulated shredded tyre pieces from an operating conveyor when his right hand and arm came in contact with the unguarded tail pulley. He sustained serious injuries to his right arm and hand.

The Health and Safety Executive of Northern Ireland (HSENI) investigation found that on the day of the incident that the conveyor being used in the tyre shredding process was not safe because a section of the fixed side guarding around the tail pulley was missing and there was no pull cord operated emergency stop switch on the conveyor to prevent risk when an irregular event occurs. The investigation also found that blockages were happening regularly and the system of work being used to clear the blockages was not safe.

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Press release from HSENI