Telford firm fined after worker loses fingers
Tuesday 7th June 2011, 12:04PM BST.
A food company in Shropshire has been fined £10,000 after a cleaner had two of his fingers severed in a potato processing machine.
The 38-year-old worker reached inside the machine to remove a piece of raw potato at Swancote Foods in Hortonwood, Telford, last February.
Telford Magistrates Court heard yesterday the worker reached in and touched a rotating screw, which severed the first two fingers on his left hand.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the incident found the guard on the machine had not been maintained properly.
Swancote Foods, which has a head office in Cambridgeshire, supplies cooked potato ingredients to manufacturers of prepared foods.
Bosses from the firm pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations and were fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £5,614 costs.
The court heard the employee had now returned to work at the factory, but was doing a different job and suffered restricted movement and reduced grip in his hand, meaning everyday tasks were now difficult for him.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Lyn Mizen said: “This was a very serious incident, which was entirely preventable.
“As a result of Swancote Foods’ failings, a man has suffered permanent, life-changing injuries to his hand.
“Companies must ensure that they have robust procedures in place to provide and maintain suitable, effective guarding.
“This case illustrates the consequences of failing to manage and control workplace risks adequately and HSE will not hesitate to hold companies to account for failing in their duties in such a way.”
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