Firm fined £25,000 for accident

A Shropshire confectionery company has been fined £25,000 for breaching health and safety regulations.

Magna Specialist Confectioners Ltd, of Stafford Park, Telford, admitted breaching use of work and equipment regulations under the Health and Safety Act at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.

The case was brought after one of the firm's workers got her hand stuck in machinery. The Polish woman's hand became trapped in machinery on October 7, 2006.

The accident left the woman with a broken bone in her lower arm and she required three butterfly stitches.

Ms Rhona Campbell, prosecuting, said that on the day of the accident the employee had been moved to a new job which she had not done before. Her job was to fill a device with biscuit crumbs which would then be distributed on to biscuits.

Ms Campbell said: "She got her hand trapped between two trays when she was re-distributing the crumbs."

The court heard that the company had failed to carry out a risk assessment after modifying the machinery, and no protective guards were in place.

Ms Campbell added that the employee had not fully understood her job as she could speak only basic English.

Mr Denis Desmond, for Magna Specialist Confectioners Ltd, said: "The system had been modified a few days prior to the incident to remove crumbs to avoid any need for an operator to put their hand in.

"Nobody said to her don't put your hands in an operating machine as it hadn't occurred to anyone that she would do that.

"But they admit they should have done, that's why they pleaded guilty.

"It is accepted on behalf of the company that they failed to carry out a risk assessment.

"The company took immediate action after the accident; they put up a temporary guard, they then put up a full permanent guard."

Magna Specialist Confectioners Ltd employs about 600 people.

By Rachael Lowe