Authority faces court over worker who lost arm in wood chipper (From The Northern Echo)

Authority faces court over worker who lost arm in wood chipper

9:00am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Newton Aycliffe News By Catherine Priestley, Chief Reporter (Sedgefield)

Shaun Talbot

A COUNCIL will face prosecution over an accident in which a landscape worker lost an arm.

Shaun Talbot was pulled into a wood chipper as he fed in hedge trimmings by a roadside in Spennymoor, County Durham, on Tuesday, August 4, 2009.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the incident and this week confirmed it will take action against Durham County Council.

The authority is accused of failing to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the safety of an employee.

The case is due to be heard at Darlington Magistrates’ Court on February 22.

Mr Talbot was part of a grounds maintenance team pruning trees, near Atherton Close, Spennymoor.

As he fed trimmings into the chipper, his left arm became trapped in the blades.

Colleagues managed to switch off the machine, but surgeons had to amputate his arm. He remained conscious throughout his ordeal.

Council staff helped emergency crews safely release him before he was airlifted to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

The 26-year-old has since undergone seven operations on his back and shoulder and hopes to meet specialists in the next few months to be measured for a prosthetic arm.

Parks and gardens staff who were at the scene of the accident were later awarded Durham County Council Chairman’s medals for the way they responded.

Mr Talbot and his friends and family have held several events in aid of the Great North Air Ambulance.

Mr Talbot joined the former Sedgefield Borough Council’s landscaping staff when he was 17 after he left Ferryhill Comprehensive School.

The council said it was unable to comment because of the court action.