Bakery company fined for failing to protect worker

Date:

13 April 2010

Release No:

YH/T147/10

A speciality bread manufacturer was today fined after a worker become entangled in a bagel forming machine and broke his wrist.

Leeds Magistrates Court heard the Country Style Foods employee was removing finished bagels from the machine when he spotted a build-up of dough on a roller.

He used a scraper to remove the dough, but a lack of guarding allowed his hand and wrist to be dragged into the machine and become trapped between the roller and a moving belt.

Country Style Foods which produces goods for supermarkets, bakers and foodservice customers, pleaded guilty to a breach of regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 in relation to the incident at a site on Pontefract Lane on 27 April last year.

The firm was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £4,570 in costs.

During the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution, the court heard the employee's injuries also included severe friction burns caused by the moving belt, which along with the broken wrist kept him off work for several weeks.

Though the injured man was experienced, and familiar with the type of machine he was using, the HSE investigation found the machine itself was new to the plant and no formal training or written instructions had been completed governing its safe use.

The investigation also revealed that the issue of insufficient guarding had already been raised by a hygiene supervisor, but no action was taken before the machine was put into use.

Following the hearing HSE inspector Angus Robbins said:

"The hazards associated with moving rollers and belts are well understood within food manufacturing, and there are established standards and protocols that should be followed in relation to guarding and clearing blockages.

"The onus is on employers like Country Style Foods to manage and control risks at all times, and set an example for others to follow. There were clear failings on this occasion, and we hope today's prosecution serves as a reminder that we will call to account employers who fail in their duties to protect their employees."

Notes to editors

1. Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states: "Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken which are effective (a) to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or any rotating stock bar; or (b) to stop the movement of any dangerous part of machinery or rotating stock bar before any part of a person enters a danger zone."
2. More information on health and safety can be found online at www.hse.gov.uk

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