Bakery fined after worker suffers serious hand injury in workplace incident

A bakery has been fined after an employee amputated his right hand on a bagel production line.

Luton Magistrates’ Court heard how the employee was able to access the internal parts of the machine as he attempted to clear dough that had become jammed. As the dough was cleared the machine restarted dragging the victim’s arm into the danger zone where his hand was amputated at the wrist.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on 2 October 2017, found that the company did not have adequate measures in place to prevent access to the dangerous parts of the machine.

Mr Bagel’s Limited of Bridge Road East, Welwyn Garden City pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11 of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £4,500 and ordered to pay costs of £4,500.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Nigel Fitzhugh said: “This injury was easily prevented. Machine blockages are routine events; the risk to a person from clearing them should have been identified.

“Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.”

Source: HSE website
21.08.2020