A Colwick-based lawnmower company has been fined £20,000 for breaching health and safety requirements after a customer's leg became 'sucked' into the cutting blade of a machine. Gedling Borough Council said officials took legal action after a member of the public was left injured in the incident at P.S.Marsden (Lawnmower Services), based at the Colwick Industrial Estate, on December 23 last year.
A borough council report outlining what happened said the customer was at the lawnmower business' premises for a demonstration of a 'Predator 360' stump grinder that he was considering buying. But the report says that after some difficulty starting the machine, which led to three members of staff and the potential buyer standing around the machine, it eventually turned on.
However, the report says that due to the customer's close proximity to the machine a trouser leg was "sucked into the cutting blade, causing severe lacerations" below and above the knee. This, the report added, resulted in muscle damage, "extensive blood loss" and "excruciating pain", with the customer still having remaining issues today.
