A construction worker suffered a devastating industrial injury after enduring an 11,000 volt electric shock.

Bradley Marsh was working for Dwyer Engineering Services Ltd when the incident occurred in June 2009. He was using a jack hammer on the ground of a construction site in Maidstone, when the hammer unintentionally touched an 11,000 volt underground electricity cable.

Mr Marsh suffered devastating injuries, including serious burns to his face and torso. All in all he suffered 62 per cent burns to his upper body. He was in hospital for six weeks recovering and had to undergo skin grafts to the most badly affected areas. It is unlikely the 28 year old will be able to work again.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the incident and found several safety concerns. There was not a capable supervisor on the site, and no system for identifying underground electricity cables.

The firm was prosecuted for breaking Construction Regulations and pleaded guilty at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court. They were fined £20,000 and made to pay legal costs.

A man suffered personal injury after falling in an accident at work.

Dennis Hunter was working for Phoenox Textiles of Huddersfield when the accident occurred. He was working as part of a team of men dismantling 30 foot high shelving units. The men were untrained for the work they were carrying out, and had unsuitable unsecured ladders. This had devastating results.

While cutting through a shelving board with a circular saw, he fell eight feet to the ground below. This fall broke Mr Hunter’s leg, but the board fell down too and landed on top of him. This crushed his left ankle and bruised his face. His leg was in plaster for seven weeks afterwards while he recovered.

The company were prosecuted for failing to assess the risks of working at height. They were fined £12,000 and made to pay legal costs of over £3,000.

The Health and Safety Executive stated after the decision that Mr Hunter was lucky not to suffer an even worse injury during the incident. They also pointed out that falls from height are the biggest cause of deaths in the workplace every year.

A company from Skegness has been fined after a fatal workplace fall.

Clifford Hartley was working for Blue Anchor Leisure Ltd when the accident occurred back in September 2008. He was operating as part of a team that was re-roofing a barn which had been damaged by fire. Hay bales had been positioned in the barn to be used as a platform to work from, and as a landing mat if any falls took place. However, they did not cover the entire floor.

Unfortunately, Mr Hartley did fall while working on the roof, but did not land on the hay bales. He missed one by some 18 inches and fell to the concrete floor below. He suffered devastating injuries and sadly died as a result.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the accident and decided to prosecute Blue Anchor Leisure. They admitted breaking the Health and Safety at Work Act at Doncaster Magistrates’ Court recently. They were fined £15,000 and made to pay legal costs of nearly £5,000.

A spokesperson for the HSE stated after the verdict that Mr Hartley’s unnecessary death was easily preventable and that although the hay bales could have provided adequate safety, they were poorly situated and not fit for purpose.

A manufacturing company has been prosecuted after a worker severed fingers in a devastating accident.

Simon Partridge worked as a production supervisor for Saint-Gobain Weber Ltd when the accident occurred in November 2007. He was in charge of the night shift at the tiling manufacturing plant when the waste extraction system became blocked. The system was full of the dust it extracts from the workshop, causing it to not function properly. Mr Partridge attempted to clear the blockage himself but ended up suffering a devastating injury.

His hand became trapped in the rotating valve and his finger and thumb were severed. He underwent surgery to try and reattach the digits, but this proved unsuccessful.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the incident and discovered several failings. The machines guards could be easily removed using basic tools available to employees. This goes against health and safety law.

The company admitted breaking the Health and Safety Act in court, and were fined a total of £16,000. It is unclear whether Mr Partridge made a dangerous machinery claim against the company for their negligence in his accident.

An engineering firm from Preston, Lancashire has been fined after a worker died from an industrial injury caused by an accident.

Michael Lohaza was working for Autoy Limited when the accident occurred in January 2009. He was working on a lathe in a small building next to the main workshop, and was alone at the time. Two colleagues discovered the 45 year old dead at the scene after becoming entangled in the machinery.

An investigation found that Mr Lohaza had been cutting the thread using a lathe on a one metre long metal screw when he became entangled with it. The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted the firm for the death of the long standing worker.

The HSE found that the firm had failed to carry out a full risk assessment to determine the risks of operating such machinery. A spokesperson for the HSE stated that the risk of entanglement with lathes is well known, and as such suitable clothing should be worn, and hair tied back.

The company was fined £17,500 for breaking the Health and Safety at Work Act.

A textile manufacturing company has been fined after an accident at work left a worker with a crushed arm.

Robert Dunn was working at E-Leather Ltd in November. He was operating a fabric winding machine which was later found to have incompetent safety guards fitted. He suffered serious injuries during the accident.

His hand was pulled into a roll of material and ended up being crushed. All three arm bones were broken and the force of being pulled in ripped the cartilage in his knee.

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive and the liability was firmly put at the feet of the company. They pleaded guilty to breaking Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1)(b) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The regulations ensure access to dangerous machinery parts is prevented with the use of safety guards.

They were fined £13,500 and made to pay costs of £5,000. It has not been reported if Mr Dunn made a work accident compensation claim against the company.

A man whose leg was crushed in a dramatic incident has won his farm accident compensation claim.

Stephen Hyndman was working for William Brown when the accident occurred back in September 2003. William Brown is an agricultural contractor from Northern Ireland but had contractors working for him on farms in Cumbria as well.

The Belfast Telegraph is reporting that Mr Hyndman was trying to clear blocked machinery in Cumbria but ended up suffering terrible injuries. The machinery in question was a potato harvester and the accident occurred when his trousers became caught in the machine. This dragged his foot into the machine and it crushed the lower part of his leg.

Mr Hyndman made a claim for compensation against William Brown for the work accident, and has recently been awarded £71,000 in damages.

A roofer has been prosecuted and fined after putting workers at risk of a fall from height accident.

Mark McKernan was spotted with three employees working on residential properties with no safety measures in place to stop them from falling. An inspector for the Health and Safety Executive watched and photographed them removing slates with nothing to stop them plummeting to the ground below if they slipped or fell. The inspector stated in court that a guardrail should have been erected around the roof or scaffolding should have been used to protect the men’s safety.

The inspector also saw the team throw removed slates from the roof into a skip on the ground in front of the house just feet from a busy pavement. It was highlighted that a rubbish chute should have been used to take waste safely to the ground.

After pleading guilty Mark McKernan was fined £2,000 and made to pay legal costs of the same amount for breaking Work at Height Regulations.

Unfortunately, around 11 roofers are killed every year as the result of a fall from height at work in the UK.

A company and two contractors have been fined a total of £30,000 after a worker was killed when hit on the head by a digger bucket.

John Cain was working as part of a team who were demolishing the Albert Park Inn in Salford, Greater Manchester. During the demolition process, Mr Cain was hit on the head by a digger bucket. Unfortunately, the injuries he suffered were that severe that he tragically passed away on the day of the accident.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the incident – which took place in November 2004 – and last week sentences were passed by the court on those responsible.

Barry Godliman and Robert Watson were the principal contractors on the site, and both pleaded guilty to failing to protect the safety of workers. They were fined £7,500 each.

Windmill Demolition Ltd had been brought in to perform specialist demolition work and pleaded guilty to the same offence. They were fined £15,000.

A spokesperson for the HSE reiterated the need to co-ordinate health and safety procedures on sites where multiple companies are working. They also stated that they hoped lessons would be learnt from this tragic construction site accident.

A man who was blinded in an accident at work is seeking injury compensation from his former employers.

The Richmond and Twickenham Times is reporting that Mahendra Dhoju was working at a Londis shop when the accident happened. He and a colleague were pushing a stock cage up a ramp into the stock room as they were unloading a delivery of new stock. The cage got stuck, and while trying to push it loose, he slipped and fell, while the cage hit him on the head.

The injuries Mr Dhoju suffered had serious repercussions. He lost the sight of his left eye and has also lost his sense of smell.

A Mr Kishor Chandegra, who is co owner of the Londis store and responsible for health and safety, has been fined £17,000 for the work accident after an investigation by Richmond council. He pleaded guilty to breaking health and safety regulations and admitted more should have been done to notice the problem with cages getting stuck. He also expressed his deep remorse at the incident.

If Mr Dhoju is successful in his compensation claim, he will be eligible to receive tens of thousands of pounds in compensation, as the injuries will affect him for the rest of his life.