Food packaging firm fined £100k for hand crush

By Gwen Ridler

- Last updated on GMT

Packaging firm Euro Packaging UK ltd was fined £100k, after a worker’s arm was crushed in machinery
Packaging firm Euro Packaging UK ltd was fined £100k, after a worker’s arm was crushed in machinery

Related tags Occupational safety and health Health and safety executive

A company that manufactures packaging for the food and drink industry has been fined £100,000 for health and safety offences, after a worker’s hand was crushed.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard how an employee of Euro Packaging UK Ltd was injured at the company’s site in Yardley, Birmingham on December 5 last year,

The worker’s hand was drawn into the print rollers while he was trying to clean the running machine, resulting in the partial amputation of two of his fingers.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the lack of guarding on the machine was the root cause of this incident, together with a lack of training and supervision.

Lack of training and supervision

Euro Packaging UK of Brickfield Road, Birmingham pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,503.05.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Karl Raw said: “This case serves as a reminder to industry that planning and guarding of machinery requires regular reviews and monitoring to ensure workplace safety.

“The need to review machinery guarding is a positive benefit to improving workplace safety”.

Fines for health and safety incidents involving trapped or crushed hands have been one of the most common in the food and drink industry reported by FoodManufacture.co.uk during the past year.

Trapped or crushed hands

Injuries involving hands have cost food and drink firms £162,427* on average since November last year.

In July, 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, in September, Food seasonings manufacturer Symrise Ltd has been fined £55,000 for health and safety failings, after a worker’s finger came into contact with the moving parts of a machine, resulting in a partial amputation of his left hand.

Food and drink firms fined for accidents involving hand/arm injuries since November 2016

  • Food seasonings manufacturer Symrise Ltd fined £55,000
  • Warburtons fined £1.9M
  • Noodle manufacturer SCLA ltd fined £30,000
  • Meat processor Beckett’s Foods ltd fined £366,666
  • Bakery firm Bells of Lazonby ltd fined a total of £70,000 for two incidents
  • Moy Park fined £200,000
  • The Butchers at Clifton fined £18,000
  • Crisp manufacturer Tayto Group ltd fined £33,000
  • Packaging manufacturer Fuji Seal Europe ltd fined £160,000

*Not counting Warburtons’ fine

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