Egg firm fined after worker's fingers cut off

Date:

24 April 2012

Release No:

HSE/16/12

A Worcestershire egg company has been fined after a worker severed two fingers while cleaning a drain on a production line.

The 25 year-old employee lost part of his index and middle fingers on his right hand when it came into contact with a heavy duty blade at Bumble Hole Foods Ltd, Fockbury, Bromsgrove on 26 August 2010.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the risks of cleaning around the blade had not been adequately assessed or controlled and employees were able to reach dangerous moving parts while the blade was running.

Redditch Magistrates' Court was told Bumble Hole Foods Ltd were aware of the risks following a similar incident in 2008. The court also heard how the training for this work was carried out by employees who were not qualified to train others.

Bumble Hole Foods Ltd, of Fockbury, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

The company was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,303.

Speaking after today's hearing, HSE inspector Christopher Gregory said:

"This incident was entirely foreseeable and easily preventable. The risks of cleaning around the drain had not been adequately assessed or controlled so unfortunately, a much larger price has been paid, not least by their employee.

"This case shows the importance of learning from mistakes and ensuring that formal advice from the HSE is not ignored. Employers have a duty to act on their findings. If Bumble Hole Foods had taken prompt action after the previous incident, this could so easily have been avoided."

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) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states: Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken in accordance with paragraph (2) which are effective -
   1. to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to any rotating stock-bar; or
   2. 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) The measures required by paragraph (1) shall consist of -
   1. the provision of fixed guards enclosing every dangerous part or rotating stock-bar where and to the extent that it is practicable to do so, but where or to the extent that it is not, then
   2. the provision of other guards or protection devices where and to the extent that it is practicable to do so, but where or to the extent that it is not, then
   3. the provision of jigs, holders, push-sticks or similar protection appliances used in conjunction with the machinery where and to the extent that it is practicable to do so, but where or to the extent that it is not, then
   4. the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision.

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