Woodchipper Accident = HSE Prosecution

[skyhuck]

Compays fault and there bang too rights plain and simple, they left a 16 year old kid using a defective chipper WTF dont bang on about the kid having no comman sense the co owner seem to have even less!!!!!

 

:congrats:

[gensetsteve]

who puts there feet in a chipper???

 

is this the same guy having a BBQ

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2238/2218655624_61b2cbbaca_z.jpg?zz=1

 

One legged people generally.

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Glad to see the AA is only 3 steps behind everyone else, keep it up and you'll be on the pulse in 30 years.

 

Don't rush me now, I'll get a nose bleed

 

Better late than never tho and often people miss the first post...me included on this occasion

 

Cheers..

Paul

 

PS Thought 30 years was a bit harsh...15-20 maybe as I don't work as fast as I used too, ha!

Edited February 12, 2013 by AA Teccie (Paul)

[Scott]

So negative I think the AA r the don.., stop being so negative

 

 

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[Rich2484]

Just had a read of the article and this thread as I missed it the first time.

 

A couple of thoughts went through my head.

 

At first it was more to do with why was a teenager putting his foot in a feed in the first place.... But then I relised that over the years common sense has all but left the human race all together.

 

Then it was why was the machine in use. But even with a "safety" bar would it have made a difference. Correct me here but they would need the operator who was getting pulled into the machine to make good contact with it and the force applied to it by the front of the legs that don't bend (as in the knees only bend one way and when against the bar they will be trying to bend the wrong way) will push the bar, applying the stop or reverse of rollers.

 

But for one foot to be in that chipper he would of either had one leg in it and the other out putting him at a 90degree angle to the rollers and bar so his other leg would twist around bend at the knee and going in. Or be standing ON the table with both feet before putting one foot forward into the feed. (But I guess this goes back to common sense again or lack of it)

 

 

But what has got me the most is the PTSD claim... And continued pain from it. Ok so he lost some of his foot (poor guy) but this sounds more like a plea for claiming more money from ins.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Glad to see the AA is only 3 steps behind everyone else, keep it up and you'll be on the pulse in 30 years.

 

[Danavan]

Cheers for bringing this situation to attention again Paul.

 

Lot's of good points made hear. I do feel that all blame & paper work/ back covering is a necessary evil for any clued up business operator in this day & age (as much as I don't like to admit it), but the responsibility imo lies with those on site who should be looking out for one & all. Having young/ inexperienced people in teams is stressful & challenging at times. Having the ability to make a work place safe, professional, efficient & fun when the time is not on your side is something I see as lacking when teams are not run properly. More often than not some of these short comings are compensated by taking short cuts to make up for what is seen as lost time...

 

Time for team leader education in the work place as well as back covering paper work.

 

Rant over...(ish...)

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Cheers for bringing this situation to attention again Paul.

 

Lot's of good points made hear. I do feel that all blame & paper work/ back covering is a necessary evil for any clued up business operator in this day & age (as much as I don't like to admit it), but the responsibility imo lies with those on site who should be looking out for one & all. Having young/ inexperienced people in teams is stressful & challenging at times. Having the ability to make a work place safe, professional, efficient & fun when the time is not on your side is something I see as lacking when teams are not run properly. More often than not some of these short comings are compensated by taking short cuts to make up for what is seen as lost time...

 

Time for team leader education in the work place as well as back covering paper work.

 

Rant over...(ish...)

 

Hi Danavan,

 

A very good point, well several actually, very well made.

 

A failing in good, strong leadership combined with a positive culture towards a safe working environment is key to many accidents. As you quiate rightly imply, this should never have happened as others, more expereinced and knowledgable, shouldn't ahve allowed it to.

 

Leadership skills training is something many foremen / supervisors etc. would benefit from...can't see it being well received though nor deemed importnat in the greater scheme of things 'training related', still.

 

Thanks for the post.

Paul

[easy-lift guy]

Not at all, the company is responsible in the first instance of course and provided that had acted 'reasonably and proportionally' to avoid the accident then they would be covered from 'legal' / prosecution perspective, I would hope, but the insurance would still apply.

 

Clearly, in this instance, the company knew of teh defective chipper and hence it shouldn't have been used BUT in so doing, as is often the case, they should have ensured extra safegaurds were in place. Also have identified a 'young / naive' person was operating it so needed close, and effective, supervision.

 

There is 'another', often quite profound and long term, effect here on the business owner who often feels morally repsonsible even when they are 'in the clear', so to speak (obviously, not that that's the case here.)

 

Paul I was just reading over your Second paragraph which states" clearly in this instance the company knew of the defective chipper and hence it shouldn't have been used But in so doing, as is often the case they should have ensured extra safe guards were in place". At least over here Two wrongs never make a right.

Weather it be H&S for the UK or OSHA here in the US, I believe this accident would and should of happened due to the gross negligence on the part of the owner of the business and defective and dangerous equipment knowingly being used. Providing additional safe guards for a piece of equipment with known defects is no solution to an accident waiting to happen.

easy-lift guy

[Little Steven]

Just had a read of the article and this thread as I missed it the first time.

 

A couple of thoughts went through my head.

 

At first it was more to do with why was a teenager putting his foot in a feed in the first place.... But then I relised that over the years common sense has all but left the human race all together.

 

Then it was why was the machine in use. But even with a "safety" bar would it have made a difference. Correct me here but they would need the operator who was getting pulled into the machine to make good contact with it and the force applied to it by the front of the legs that don't bend (as in the knees only bend one way and when against the bar they will be trying to bend the wrong way) will push the bar, applying the stop or reverse of rollers.

 

But for one foot to be in that chipper he would of either had one leg in it and the other out putting him at a 90degree angle to the rollers and bar so his other leg would twist around bend at the knee and going in. Or be standing ON the table with both feet before putting one foot forward into the feed. (But I guess this goes back to common sense again or lack of it)

 

 

But what has got me the most is the PTSD claim... And continued pain from it. Ok so he lost some of his foot (poor guy) but this sounds more like a plea for claiming more money from ins.

 

Thanks that it wasn't a large bandit!!!: