HSE Prosecutes Weetabix After Man Loses Fingertips, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 16 Jun 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned companies to ensure machinery is adequately guarded after a worker at Kettering firm Weetabix Ltd was injured in a machinery incident. HSE's warning follows its prosecution of the company at Kettering Magistrates Court.

On 23 August 2006, a 58 year old man from Kettering was attempting to clear a rotary value blockage while operating machinery at the Weetabix factory. He was exposed to moving parts of the valve and caught his hand in the machine, which resulted in a loss of his fingertips.

HSE Inspector Peter Snelgrove said:

"This incident has resulted in a worker suffering a significant hand injury which could have been avoided. Weetabix should have ensured that machinery was adequately guarded. There is plenty of advice and guidance available to help employers meet their legal responsibilities and keep their workers safe."

Weetabix Ltd of Burton Latimer near Kettering was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £1,490.40 costs, at Kettering Magistrates Court today after pleading guilty to breaching Reg 11 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment for failure to prevent access to a dangerous machinery part.

Notes

1. Regulation 11 (1) of Provision and Use of Work Equipment regulations 1998 ( as amended) states: Every employer shall ensure that measures are taken in accordance with paragraph (2) which are effective-

(a) to prevent access to any dangerous part of machinery or to 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. For further information on working safely with machinery see http://www.hse.gov.uk/equipment/index.htm

http://www.hse.gov.uk