A man’s scalp was ripped from his head when his ponytail was caught in machinery in a horrific incident at work.
The unnamed man was working for Caspian Group Limited, formerly known as Caspian Access and Plant Hire Limited, when he went to oil a machine at the company's site in Scunthorpe.
However his ponytail became trapped in the rotating mechanism, tearing his face and scalp as well as ripping off one of his ears.
In the aftermath of the accident he also had to have the tip of one of his fingers amputated after sustaining further injury.
The man spent two weeks in hospital as a result and required a number of skin grafts, Grimsby Live reported.
After the incident on October 25, 2018, an investigation was carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which found the machine had been purchased secondhand the year before.
The machine, an MPC Micromatic Timber stress grading machine, posed obvious risks of workers being drawn in and crushed, due to a lack of sufficient safety equipment.
HSE discovered there were no suitable guards preventing access to the machine, which may have prevented the incident from happening.
The HSE said that Caspian was aware of this, but did nothing to rectify it. HSE inspector Kirstie Durrans said: “Serious accidents occur each year due to companies not identifying and managing the risks posed by machinery.
"The dangers of unguarded machinery are well known. If Caspian Group Limited had properly assessed the risks and then installed suitable guards the incident would not have happened.”
Caspian Group Limited, of East Common Lane, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The company was fined £70,000 and ordered to pay £13,012.76 in costs at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court.
