AN environmental services company has been fined £30,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries when his arm was crushed by machinery.

Health and safety bosses said the incident at Consillium Environmental Services Limited in Darwen which has left the injured man unable to work was “completely avoidable”.

Preston Magistrates Court heard how Muhammad Shoaib was working on a waste line cleaning out waste plastic material from a conveyor belt when the incident happened.

Magistrates were told that when the machinery was started Mr Shoaib’s arm was drawn in between the rollers and the belt.

The court heard how Mr Shoaib suffered crush injuries in two places on his left arm and needed extensive surgery.

Magistrates were told Mr Shoaib’s injuries were so severe he has not been able to return to work in 15 months.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was called in after the incident, which happened on May 20 last year.

A spokesman for the HSE said it was found that no suitable and sufficient risk assessment had been carried out to identify the risks from the rollers.

It was also discovered there was no suitable isolation process or guarding in place, and no safe system of work for cleaning the rollers, the spokesman added.

HSE inspector Sharon Butler said: “This incident was entirely preventable. It is essential to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

“As in this case the outcome for ignoring these simple safety measures can result in life changing injuries and a substantial fine.”

Consillium Environmental Services Limited, which is based in Tower Road Business Park, pleaded guilty to breaching section two of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £30,000. The company was also told to pay £4,500 in costs.

Nobody from Consillium Environmental Services was available for comment yesterday.