£12,000 fine after worker injures hands (From Gazette & Herald)

£12,000 fine for Malton Foods Ltd after worker injures hands

10:13am Saturday 27th October 2012 in News By Julie Hayes, Business editor

A NORTH Yorkshire food producer has been fined £12,000 after an employee trapped and crushed three fingers in dangerous unguarded machinery.

Peter Bradbury, 25, was lifting a box of food from the end of a production line at hotdog producer Malton Foods Ltd when his fingers got caught between the conveyor belt and a powered drum roller.

Although his hands were freed within a minute, Mr Bradbury, of Riverside View in Malton, suffered severe crush injuries to the end of his left index finger which resulted in long-term nerve damage and limited movement. The ring and middle finger on his right hand were also injured.

The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted Malton Foods Ltd, based in Amotherby, for safety breaches in the incident, which happened in February.

Scarborough Magistrates’ Court was told yesterday that the end of a conveyor belt should have been guarded to prevent contact with dangerous moving parts.

Malton Foods Ltd, which trades as Westlers and was established in December 2010 after its management bought Westlers Ltd out of administration, admitted a single breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 for failing to take effective measures to prevent access to a dangerous part of a machine.

The company was also ordered to pay £1,381 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Katie Dixon said: “This is a typical example of an unnecessary and entirely preventable incident that is sadly all too frequent across the manufacturing industries.

“While Mr Bradley’s injuries were not life-threatening, he may suffer permanent damage to his hand.

“Fortunately he has been able to return to work, albeit in a different area where the cold temperatures do not prompt pain to his damaged fingers.”