Seasonings maker fined £55k for partial amputation

Northampton Magistrates’ Court heard how on September 13 last year the man, working at Symrise’s factory in Corby, was cleaning near the screw conveyor machine when the accident occurred.

The worker tripped and his finger came into contact with the moving parts of the machine, resulting in a partial amputation of his left hand.

Did not have adequate guarding​

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the conveyor did not have adequate guarding to prevent people coming into contact with the dangerous part of the machine.

Symrise Ltd of Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow was found guilty of breaching Section 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was been fined £55,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,293.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Mark Austin said: “An agency worker has suffered life changing injuries due to the company’s health and safety failures.  An individual’s health and safety should not be made worse by the work they do.​

‘Health and safety failures’​

“Duty holders have the responsibility to ensure all dangerous machinery has the appropriate level of guarding to enable safe operation and maintenance, including cleaning operations.”​

FoodManufacture.co.uk has contacted Symrise for a comment and are awaiting its response.

A number of food and drink companies have been fined for health and safety failings involving injured arms and hands in the past year.

Warburtons was fined £1.9M for safety failings,​ after a worker’s arm was trapped against a running conveyor belt – its second fine of more than £1M this year.

Meanwhile, noodle manufacturer SCLA was fined £30,000,​ after a worker suffered “life changing hand injuries”​ while trying to clear a blockage on one of the production lines.