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The man, in his early 40s, was working underneath the arm at Bridgnorth Aluminium Limited when it failed, inflicting life-changing crush injuries when the incident happened on May 10, 2023. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the man had been carrying out preparation work for the casting of aluminium blocks from molten aluminium and was kneeling inside a casting mould, wearing heat-resistant clothing, to insert ceramic string around its edges. The hydraulic launder arm above the mould, which is used to transport molten metal around the foundry, suddenly fell onto him. It is believed the exterior temperature of the launder arm was around 100°C. The falling arm crushed him and narrowly missed another worker and he was trapped for three minutes before the floor of the mould was lowered to release the pressure. However, the HSE said it was a further 19 minutes before the hydraulic arm could be lifted to allow recovery. It also said the incident and the injuries sustained by the individual have had a dramatic impact on his day-to-day life and he has not been able to return to work. The investigation by the HSE found that the arm fell as a result of hydraulic failure and while there was a safety bar intended to prevent the arm from falling, it was not fit for purpose. It also found that Bridgnorth Aluminium Limited had not assessed the risks of the hydraulic arm falling and therefore failed to implement a suitable safe system of work to prevent employees from working beneath it. A HSE spokesperson said: "The law requires employers to assess the risks to which their employees are exposed at work, and to implement suitable control measures to reduce the risk of harm. "This includes ensuring that work equipment is fit for purpose and adequately maintained." Bridgnorth Aluminium Limited of Stourbridge Road, Bridgnorth, pleaded guilty breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £8,301 in costs at Cannock Magistrates’ Court on October 13. HSE inspector Nicola Willcox said: “This was a serious incident that should never have happened. “The company subsequently implemented simple control measures to prevent it from re-occurring. "The process of placing the ceramic string in the moulds is now carried out with the hydraulic arm in the lowered position, and people are restricted from walking under the it when it is raised. “If these measures had been in place at the time, then this incident would not have happened.” After the hearing Bridgnorth Aluminium issued a statement. A company spokeswoman said: "We deeply regret the incident which happened on May 10, 2023 and the injuries suffered by our colleague. "From the outset, we accepted responsibility, pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and provided extensive support to our colleague and his family throughout. "The specific risk that caused this incident has been eliminated through operational and organisational changes. We continue to maintain the highest standards of workplace safety across all our operations. "The judge recognised our ‘sincere expression of remorse and concern’ for our colleague and his family. "The court also acknowledged the high level of cooperation and the significant effort and actions taken by Bridgnorth Aluminium to ensure the health, safety and welfare of our workforce. "The health and safety of everyone at Bridgnorth Aluminium is central to how we operate. We take our responsibilities to our team very seriously and are committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and wellbeing."
