A tyre refurb company was fined after an employee had his “torso shredded” when he was pulled into a machine by his t-shirt. 

Neal Hetherington was working for D&D Commercial Services Ltd in Lamson Road, Rainham, when the incident took place in August 2021. 

The 42-year-old was pulled into the spinning blades of a tyre buffing machine which was freewheeling to a stop after being used, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.

Neal, from Woodford Green, had "his torso shredded" and was off work for several months. 

A HSE investigation found the company had failed to ensure the ‘hold to run’ controls were working properly and that a brake was operational. 

If the brake was working properly it would have stopped the rasp immediately after letting go of the controls, but instead the rasp would continue to freewheel for about five minutes. 

Last Wednesday (September 4) at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, D&D Commercial Services was fined £54,000 and ordered to pay £6,000 costs after it was found guilty of a health and safety breach. 

HSE inspector Oscar Dower said: “This case sends a clear message to industry that HSE will hold companies to account if they fail to protect their workers. 

“The company allowed its workers to use a machine that was not adequately braked or guarded, leading to significant and wholly avoidable injuries to one of its employees. 

“If the company had ensured the machine’s safety features were working as they should have been, this would not have happened."