Prosecution after mixer mishap
UK. One of the country’s leading food manufacturers has been fined £10,000 after a worker lost two fingers in a mixing machine. McVities manufacturer United Biscuits (UK) Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive after an investigation into the incident at a cake baking site in Halifax.
The court heard how the accident happened when an employee lost attempted to clear a blockage in a mixer used to combine ingredients for flapjacks. The HSE investigation found that the operative had to scale a two-metre fixed step ladder to reach the machine, empty the mixture inside, and then restart it. Though the mixer had stopped, the blades inside were still rotating and when the operative reached inside the fingers were severed.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching
section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and, in
addition to the fine, was also ordered to pay £2,889 in
costs.
HSE Inspector Rachel Brittain said:"An incident like this should not happen in any company, but taking place in such a large scale food manufacturer such as this is absolutely unacceptable. Preventing access to moving parts and fitting guards is an elementary and essential precautionary measure and inexpensive. By not putting these measures in place United Biscuits failed to fulfil its duty of care to its employees."
• Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that..."It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees"
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13:37 02/08/2010
