Bakery firm fined after teen crushed fingers
Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that the worker, who asked to remain anonymous, was operating a dough moulder when the accident happened on Tuesday November 30 2010.
The machine comprised two powered running rollers which drove dough through the machine, to be moulded to the right shape and size. While operating the machine, the worker inserted his right hand between the rollers. He suffered crush and skin injuries to his fingers and sustained cuts and bruising to the middle and index fingers.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there was no guarding in place to prevent access to the powered rollers on the machine.
Reinstalled guarding
The court was told that immediately after the accident, Peter Ellis of Belinda’s Bakery reinstalled guarding on the dough moulder, which had been removed two years earlier.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE's inspector Craig Varian said: "The risks from these types of machines are well known in the industry and this incident could have resulted in far worse injuries.
"Immediately following the incident Mr Ellis installed a guard which cuts the power to the machine. But had the guarding been in place, the employee would not have been able to have accessed the dangerous parts of the machinery and we would not be in court today."
Ellis of Picket Hill, Ringwood, Hampshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1)(a) of Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £300.
