An international frozen food specialist has been prosecuted after a man's finger was amputated.
Pinguin Foods, based on Marsh Lane, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £10,000 with costs of £3,500.
Boston Magistrates Court heard how the incident happened at the firm's Boston site when the worker was straightening boxes on an automatic palletising machine.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that a number of employees had been given interlock parts which effectively overrode the safety systems in place.
Scott Wynne, HSE inspector, said: "The employee regularly gained access to the machinery, defeating the safety device using an interlock mechanism given to him by another member of staff."
Earlier this week, I2R Packaging Solutions was prosecuted after a worker lost her fingers while making foil food cartons.