The worker was checking the blades on the machine to remedy a fault, Lincoln Crown Court heard. The cutting line suddenly restarted and he wasn’t able to move his hand away in time.
Moy Park failed to implement a safe system of work for production line machinery maintenance, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation revealed. The poultry processor was subsequently fined £200,000, and ordered to pay costs of £11,924.
‘Fined £200,000’
After the hearing, HSE principal inspector David Butter said: “Duty holders must put measures in place to ensure there are safe procedures in place which are then followed when checking faults on machinery.”
Moy Park said its health and safety procedures were of the highest standard, and the laceration injury was a one-off event.
A spokeswoman for Moy Park said: “We have a strong safety record and place a very high importance on health and safety in the workplace. This was a single, isolated incident, which has been addressed.
‘Highest industry standard’
“We continually review our policies and procedures to ensure they are of the highest industry standard.”
The worker was taken to hospital, and was off full-time duty for three weeks, according to Lincolnshire Live.
Meanwhile, earlier this month a freight transport company was fined more than £40,000, after a worker was crushed by machinery. The worker of Bryan Alexander Ltd suffered life-changing internal injuries after being crushed by a hydraulic extension on of its vehicles.
Moy Park worker injury – at a glance
- Suffered deep laceration on hand
- Man was checking blades on production machinery
- Machine suddenly turned on
- Moy Park fined £200,000
- Ordered to pay £11,924