MJL Contractors was fined £350,000 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Morgan Prosser, from Devon, was left with no option but to have his right arm amputated after a disc cutter he was using kicked back, severing an artery, muscle and a nerve.
The then 31-year-old suffered the life-changing injury in spring 2017 while working at the Borough View Wainhomes development in Bodmin. He was a self-employed contractor being supervised and managed by MJL Contractors.
Morgan Prosser
After a colleague damaged beams used for house foundations, Mr Prosser’s managers suggested he cut them down and salvage them for another job. The HSE claimed the managers at MJL Contractors did this despite him having no formal training on how to use a disc cutter, and without an adequate risk assessment or method statement.
Mr Prosser’s catastrophic injuries left him struggling to find work and has only recently managed to find employment as a part-time delivery driver. He has also started to paint murals and is helping with a number of art projects in his local community.
Following a trial at Truro Crown Court, MJL Contractors was fined £250,000 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – including an additional fee of £100,000 in costs to the HSE.
Mr Prosser said: “After the trauma of the incident I have spent four long years of rehabilitation trying to come to terms with my amputation, so I’m glad that MJL Contractors has been held accountable. They prioritised saving a few quid over the safety of me and my colleagues. I did my best when I was told to cut the beams but I hadn’t been given any formal training and was left to my own devices.
“I do not want this injury to define who I am. Alongside my community work, I’m hoping to retrain as a tattoo artist, provided I am able to get a suitable adaptation for my prosthetic arm. It is only through the support of my family and friends, and the legal team at Thompsons Solicitors, that I’ve even been able to get this far. They gave me the strength to rebuild and move on from this horrific event.”
Lisa Gunner, of Thompsons Solicitors – who is supporting Mr Prosser with his claim – added: “Morgan was doing as best he could but had his life turned upside down because of a complete lack of care or planning by the management on-site.
“I hope this prosecution will be a warning to MJL Contractors and any other employers that think they can play fast and loose with the safety of staff on their sites.”
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