A factory night shift worker was killed after being pulled into machinery.

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Mitesh Prashar, aged 24, worked at Duco International Limited, in Slough, which produced rolls of rubber and cloth to be made into blankets.

He had been alone operating an automated machine used to inspect the quality of the products before they were sent to customers.

The accident wasn't witnessed, though colleagues went to investigate when they heard him cry out. Unfortunately, it was too late by the time they reached him.

Investigations by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that Mr Prashar died when he was pulled into the machine between a roller and a rubber blanket.

There are regulations in place to ensure that machinery is guarded and employees protected.  Employers are required, under Regulation 11(1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, to ensure they take effective measures to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery.

Veronica Male, a legal executive in the personal injury department at Access Legal from Shoosmiths, said: "It's clear from the HSE investigations that this loss of a young man's life could have been avoided if the company had re-assessed the safety of the machine, which had been modified, trained those employees who had to use the machine properly, and guarded the dangerous parts of the machine.

"Employers have a duty to protect their employees from danger when they are at work, assess the workplace and equipment in order to take steps to reduce, or remove hazards to their workers.

"Unfortunately, when companies cut corners and fail to take the right safety measures they expose their workers to significant risks."

The HSE takes these breaches seriously and will prosecute. In this case, Duco International Limited was fined £200,000 and had to pay £43,352 costs.

Further details of the HSE prosecution can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-se-0809.htm

For more personal injury advice please visit our Personal Injury Solicitors page.

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