Animal feed firm sentenced over finger loss

Date:

30 March 2012

Release No:

HSE/NW/80Merit

A Lancashire animal feed firm has been sentenced after an employee lost one of his fingers in machinery.

The 25-year-old worker was trying to clear a blockage at Merit (Feeds and Storage) Ltd when his hand became trapped at its factory at Oakenclough Mill near Garstang.

The company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found the man had been able to open the door on the machine while it was still operating.

The machine which caused the worker's injuries

Preston Magistrates' Court was told the worker, who has asked not to be named, had opened the door when the machine became jammed while it produced animal feed pellets on 16 February 2010.

He was trying to clear the blockage when his right hand became caught in the machine's rollers, leading to crush injuries and the loss of his middle finger.

The court heard the machine had been fitted with a special lock to prevent it being opened while it was operating, but the lock was no longer in use.

Merit (Feeds and Storage) Ltd admitted breaching Regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 by failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £2,163 in prosecution costs on 30 March 2012.

Speaking after the hearing, Andrew Jewitt, the investigating inspector at HSE, said:

"A worker has lost a finger because his employer, Merit (Feeds and Storage) Ltd, failed to maintain simple safety measures.

"If it had made sure all its machines were properly guarded to prevent access to dangerous parts, then one of its employee's could have avoided suffering permanent injuries to his right hand."

The 25-year-old was one of nearly 4,000 workers in the manufacturing industry to suffer a major injury while at work in 2009/10. Another 24 workers lost their lives. Information on improving safety is available at www.hse.gov.uk/manufacturing.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states: "Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken... to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to any rotating stock-bar."

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