Firm sentenced after worker breaks legs24 April 2014

A Stirlingshire company has been fined £10,000 for serious safety failings after a foundry worker's legs were crushed when he was struck by a one tonne mould in a casting box while turning it with an overhead crane.

Robert Easton, from Falkirk, was 56 at the time and had more than 35 years of experience working in foundries when the incident happened on 27 May 2011.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that Mr Easton was employed as a moulder by Specialised Castings at its foundry in Denny and had been preparing a two-part mould, with each half weighing in the region of one tonne.

He was attempting to turn one half of the mould over by 180 degrees so that he could make the top part and had looped lifting chains around lower pivot points on either side of the casting box. He then used the crane's control panel to lift it into the air.

He was standing in front of the box and, as it turned, it swung towards him and struck him below the knees. His legs were crushed between the casting box and a cast iron platform before the mould swung away. It then swung back in and struck him a second time, but with much less force. X-rays revealed both of his legs had been broken below the knee and his left ankle was shattered.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed various failures in the company's management of health and safety.

The court heard that different approaches to turning the moulds were taken by various employees, and there was only one person who had actually been trained to turn casting moulds safely.

HSE found that while the company did have risk assessments in relation to operations at the foundry, there was nothing that specifically dealt with the risks associated with the turning of casting moulds, and there was no safe system of work setting out the correct method of carrying out the task.

During the investigation an Improvement Notice was served on the company requiring it to carry out risk assessments on all lifting operations, which was later complied with.

Inspectors also found that the company had relied on the experience of its employees, and while it did provide training in many areas of work, no training was provided that was specific to the task of turning casting moulds.

The court was told that an aggravating feature of the case was the fact that Mr Easton had been involved in a previous incident at the foundry in June 2010 when he was injured while lifting a 'boxless' sand mould.

Specialised Castings of Headswood Mill, Denny, Stirlingshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Ian Vallely

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