View report page

The overall number of infringements recorded during the year was 2,247, an
increase of 536 compared with the previous year. Many were either of a minor nature
or basically due to lack of maintenance, cleanliness and repair and were resolved
informally.
Legal Proceedings
Legal proceedings were instituted in one case only, these arising from the notification
of an accident due to the use of a gravity-feed slicing machine in a wholesale
food warehouse.
Offence Fine Costs
Failure to fence a dangerous part of certain £10 £2
machinery namely, a food slicing machine in
that the transparent plastic guard extending
over part of the feed chute was not in
position.
Notification of Accidents
During the year, 70 accidents were notified and investigations were made into 58
of these. An analysis of these accidents, both by location and cause, is given in Appendix
III. The predominant causes of accidents are shown to be (i) falls of persons and
(ii) handling of goods, which accounted for 28 and 16 accidents respectively during
1971. In fact, these two causes have consistently been the main reasons for notifiable
accidents since the Act came into operation.
Following an investigation into an accident arising from the use of a gravity-feed
slicing machine in a wholesale food warehouse, legal proceedings were instituted
which are referred to above.
Whilst every opportunity is taken to advise occupiers of registered premises of
accident prevention measures, it is only too obvious that many are due to carelessness
or temporary lack of concentration on the part of the individual.
The Department of Employment has asked local authorities to comment particularly
on the following matters:—
Mechanical Handling of Goods
Most of the registered premises using mechanical handling equipment such as
belt and roller conveyors, fork lift trucks etc. have been visited during the year. The
use of this equipment is, of course, largely limited to warehouses and no particular
problems have been encountered as the occupiers seemed to be well aware of the
necessary safety measures.
53