R Todd & Co prosecuted over worker's accident

A farming company has been fined £20,000 over an accident in which a worker suffered the loss of two toes from their right foot.
 
R Todd & Company, which was based at Blacketyside Farm in Fife, pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
 
The incident took place while a screw auger was being cleaned and it was accidentally activated while a worker's foot was caught inside an unsheathed part of the machine.
 
Following the accident, the employee's foot feels constantly cold and of the three remaining toes one of these has no feeling.
 
Harry Bottesch, inspector at the Health and Safety Executive, claimed that the risk assessment that was conducted covered working inside the grain reception pit but was insufficient.
 
He said: "Power to the screw auger in the grain reception put should have been isolated before an employee attempted to enter and clean it. It was not sufficient to simply turn the machinery off."
 
Earlier this week, the News and Star reported that 29-year-old Jakub Sekuski had been ordered to pay £1,500 in compensation following an accident caused when he was driving after drinking.

Published by Phil Hammond