Bakery company fined £6,000 after worker breaks wrist
16:50 - 11/03/2010
Bakery company fined £6,000 after wo...
A speciality bread maker has been fined £6,000 and ordered to pay a further £4,570 in legal costs after one of their employees broke his wrist while using machinery at a plant in Pontefract.
Country Style Foods, which supplies products to supermarkets, bakers and foodservice customers, pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrate’s Court to breaching the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998).
The court heard how, on 27th April last year, the employee in question became entangled in a bagel forming machine while removing finished products. He was attempting to remove a build-up of dough with a scraper when a lack of guarding meant that his hand and wrist were dragged into the machine and trapped between the roller and a moving belt.
In addition to breaking his wrist, the employee also suffered severe friction burns and was prevented from working for several weeks.
An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the machine was new to the plant and that no formal training or written instructions concerning its safe use had been provided. They also discovered that the issue of insufficient guarding had already been highlighted by a hygiene supervisor, but the company had failed to take action before they put the machine into use.
Commenting on the case, HSE Inspector Angus Robbins said: “The onus is on employers like Country Style Foods to manage and control risks at all times, and set an example for others to follow. There were clear failings on this occasion, and we hope today's prosecution serves as a reminder that we will call to account employers who fail in their duties to protect their employees.”
Business Development Director, Darren Emery, says: “Workplace accidents can leave people seriously injured and they also cost industry thousands of pounds each year in lost time and staff absence. It is important that employees of any company receive relevant health and safety training, but it is especially vital in a factory environment, or other situations which pose heightened levels of risk, such as construction sites.
“We can offer a wide range of health and safety and risk assessment courses, including the IOSH-accredited Working Safely and Managing Safely training courses, a Safety Representatives training course and Managing and Supervising Risk. These courses can form the basis for a well-managed health and safety system, and can help your company avoid prosecution and devastating accidents.”
For further information, please call us today.
Country Style Foods, which supplies products to supermarkets, bakers and foodservice customers, pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrate’s Court to breaching the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998).
The court heard how, on 27th April last year, the employee in question became entangled in a bagel forming machine while removing finished products. He was attempting to remove a build-up of dough with a scraper when a lack of guarding meant that his hand and wrist were dragged into the machine and trapped between the roller and a moving belt.
In addition to breaking his wrist, the employee also suffered severe friction burns and was prevented from working for several weeks.
An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the machine was new to the plant and that no formal training or written instructions concerning its safe use had been provided. They also discovered that the issue of insufficient guarding had already been highlighted by a hygiene supervisor, but the company had failed to take action before they put the machine into use.
Commenting on the case, HSE Inspector Angus Robbins said: “The onus is on employers like Country Style Foods to manage and control risks at all times, and set an example for others to follow. There were clear failings on this occasion, and we hope today's prosecution serves as a reminder that we will call to account employers who fail in their duties to protect their employees.”
Business Development Director, Darren Emery, says: “Workplace accidents can leave people seriously injured and they also cost industry thousands of pounds each year in lost time and staff absence. It is important that employees of any company receive relevant health and safety training, but it is especially vital in a factory environment, or other situations which pose heightened levels of risk, such as construction sites.
“We can offer a wide range of health and safety and risk assessment courses, including the IOSH-accredited Working Safely and Managing Safely training courses, a Safety Representatives training course and Managing and Supervising Risk. These courses can form the basis for a well-managed health and safety system, and can help your company avoid prosecution and devastating accidents.”
For further information, please call us today.
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