Food processing firm sentenced in work injury case

A food processing firm in Wigan has been sentenced after one of its employees suffered serious injury to her arm.

The claimant, who has asked not to be named, required a metal plate in her left arm after it became caught in a potato blanching machine.

Bakkavor Foods Ltd were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to ensure the dangerous parts on the machine were guarded in violation of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Helen Mansfield, the investigating inspector at HSE, stated: "Sadly the machine had been operated without a guard for more than ten years, making it almost inevitable that someone would be injured if they came into contact with the dangerous moving parts."

Over the past five years, an average of 31 workers has died in manufacturing workplace accidents each year.

According to HSE, workers in the manufacturing sector also suffer from ill health from workplace exposures.

Bakkavor Foods Ltd pleaded guilty to the charges and were fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £2,026 in prosecution costs.

Published by Kevin Round