Woman severs fingers in workplace accident

12:05:00 Wednesday 4th August 2010

A female employee severed two fingers while unblocking a mixing machine at United Biscuits' cake baking site in Halifax.

The employee climbed a two-metre fixed step ladder and reached into an industrial mixer in an attempt to clear the blockage. Although the mixer had been switched off, the blades inside were still rotating and as the worker reached into the mixer, her fingers were severed.

United Biscuits (UK) Ltd, the manufacturers of McVities, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive following the incident in April last year, and has been fined £10,000.

The company was also ordered to pay £2,889 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Following the court hearing, HSE Inspector Rachel Brittain said, "An incident like this should not happen in any company, but taking place in such a large scale food manufacturer such as this is absolutely unacceptable.

“Preventing access to moving parts and fitting guards is an elementary and essential precautionary measure and inexpensive. By not putting these measures in place United Biscuits failed to fulfill its duty of care to its employees,” she added.

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