Shrewsbury's Dragon King restaurant fined £12,000 after woman loses finger
A woman had the end of her finger amputated after using a hand dryer in the ladies toilet at Chinese restaurant.
The company which runs the Dragon King restaurant in Old Potts Way, Shrewsbury, has been fined £12,000 at Telford Magistrates Court.
A case was brought by Shropshire Council’s regulatory services team following the injury, which took place in May 2016, to a woman in her 50s with learning difficulties.
The woman, who was from the Newtown area, suffered severe lacerations to the fingers on her left hand, to such an extent that the end of her middle finger was surgically amputated.
Having admitted in an earlier hearing to failing to protect people using the hand dryer, Nocaz Limited, the company which runs the restaurant, was sentenced to a fine of £12,000 and was also ordered to pay the council’s full prosecution costs of £4,728 plus £170 victim surcharge.
An investigation found that the warm air outlet was uncovered.
The victim placed her fingers into the air outlet, which made contact with a rotating blower fan. A grill plate, which was missing at the time, should have been in place to prevent a person’s fingers from making contact with the blower.
Richard Hallows, Shropshire Council’s acting regulatory services operations manager, said: “We take breaches of health and safety requirements very seriously, and it can be seen that even a simple breach can result in serious consequences.
"This whole matter would have been avoided had Nocaz Limited checked the equipment properly. This was not done and the missing guard was not detected.
“Any case where a person is injured is a concern, especially so when it involves vulnerable people being exposed to unnecessary and avoidable risks.
"I hope this case serves as an important reminder to all businesses to consider very carefully the different risks that individuals can be exposed to when at their premises, and reduce or prevent these risks.
"If anyone has any concerns or requires any advice on any aspect of the health and safety management at their business please make contact with the council’s regulatory services team.”
No one was available for comment from the Dragon King or from Nocaz Limited.
