"Serious and deliberate deficiencies" lead to the death of a factory worker cautions the HSE

Date:

12 March 2009

Release No:

COI/SE/0203

A pet food manufacturer has been fined £157,500 after breaching Health and Safety law after machinery guarding had been bypassed resulting in a worker being crushed to death.

Today (12/03/09)) at the Central Criminal Court in London, Naturediet Pet Foods Ltd was fined £157,500 after pleading guilty to a breach of section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The conviction followed an incident on 1 February 2006 when an employee, Marcus Snow, was working in the packing department of the company that, at the time of the incident, was based in Chiddingfold, Surrey.

The 40 year-old was working on a semi automatic 'off load machine', used to transfer finished cartons of dog food onto a conveyor, when the machine became jammed. Mr Snow crawled into the front entrance of the machine in an attempt to clear the suspected jam when the pneumatic pick-up unit descended and pinned him to the stack of trays.

The continued pressure from the pick up unit on Mr Snow's chest led to his death by asphyxiation.

Guarding at both the entrance and exits of the machine was by means of photoelectric light curtains. However, both units had been wired out allowing whole body access to the body of the machine and access to several dangerous parts of machinery.

HSE Inspector Janet Hanson said:

"This joint investigation with Surrey Police highlighted a number of serious and deliberate deficiencies in the safeguarding of the machine Mr Snow was working on.

"In addition to the photoelectric light curtains having been wired out, the interlock on the hinged access gate to the machine enclosure had also been bypassed allowing the machine to run with the guard door open. Our investigation revealed other machines at the site where also found to have safeguards bypassed and a number of prohibition notices were served at the time of the investigation.

"The ultimate cost of these deficiencies was borne by Mr Snow who tragically paid for them with his life. This tragic incident was entirely foreseeable and entirely preventable. The poor standards of machinery guarding on site meant that it was only a matter of time before the risk of serious personal injury was realised.

"Employers are reminded that health and safety legislation requires all dangerous parts of machinery to be guarded."

Notes to editors

1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR (London & South East).