Bacon curing firm fined after worker's fingers severed

Date:

4 July 2012

Release No:

MIDS/79/12

A Walsall bacon curing company has been fined after an employee lost three fingers while operating machinery.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted John Cox Cold Stores and Distribution Services Ltd, trading as Midland Bacon Company, after Daniel Wilfred severed three fingers when his hand became trapped in a packaging machine.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard today that Mr Wilfred, aged 20, from Walsall, was walking through the company's curing department on 23 December 2009 when he saw bacon joint packs falling to the floor from the cutting unit.

In an attempt to prevent this, he stood to the side of the conveyor, leaned over and put his left hand into the cutting unit.

However, the machine was still switched on and Mr Wilfred's hand became trapped between the machine and the cutting blades, resulting in the loss of three fingers up to the first joint.

The firm, based at Leamore Lane, Bloxwich, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £31,000 costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Eve-Marie Edwards said:

"This incident was entirely preventable. The company had failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machinery which led directly to Mr Wilfred's injuries.

"Lessons need to be learned by employers, to ensure that potentially dangerous machinery is suitably guarded and that their workers are aware of the risks involved when working with these machines."

Notes to editors

1. 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 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 sates: "Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery."

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