Joiners liability insurance holders have been reminded of the importance of fitting guards to their machines following the prosecution of one of the UK's leading food manufacturers.
United Biscuits (UK) pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 after an incident at the McVities Cake Company, on Hopwood Lane, Halifax. It was fined ?10,000 with costs of ?2,889.
Halifax Magistrates Court heard how an employee, who asked not to be named, lost two fingers on her right hand while she was clearing a blockage in an industrial-sized mixer.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the employee scaled a two-metre ladder to reach the machine.
Although the mixer had stopped, the blades inside were still rotating and when she reached inside her fingers were severed.
Rachel Brittain, HSE inspector, said: "Preventing access to moving parts and fitting guards is an elementary and essential precautionary measure."
Last month, I2R Packaging Solutions was prosecuted after a worker lost three fingers while working with machinery.