Home / Real cases / Pelagia Shetland Limited
Lerwick, Shetland · Lerwick Sheriff Court
On 10 October 2024 a supervisor bypassed a damaged interlocking safety gate by removing a panel to clear a blockage in a palletiser machine. The machine restarted when he triggered a sensor, striking him repeatedly before an emergency stop was activated.
Injuries: Eight fractured ribs, pelvis fractured in five places, fractured clavicle and scapula, and two collapsed lungs; airlifted to hospital and spent 20 days in intensive and high dependency care.
Regulations 11(1) and (2) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998; section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
“Interlocking guards exist for one reason: to stop people reaching dangerous machinery while it's still live.”
A damaged interlocking guard must be repaired and machinery kept out of use until it is fixed, never bypassed to keep production running.
The machines, packs and quizzes that fit this kind of site.