Maidstone Crown Court heard, Last week (November 18), how a worker of Fuji Seal Europe Ltd was cleaning a blade on a printing press when his hand was drawn into the machine.
The worker suffered skin loss and fractures to his fingers on his right hand, requiring a titanium fixture to support his middle finger.
Flawed and unsafe
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there was no suitable guard fitted to the machine and the system of work was flawed and unsafe.
Fuji Seal Europe Ltd, of Scimitar Close, Gillingham Business Park, Gillingham, Kent, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
The company was fined £160,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,680.80.
Fuji Seal manufactures labels and packaging for food and drink, including shrink sleeve and self-adhesive labels and spouted pouches.
Meanwhile, food packaging firm Jiffy Packaging Company Litd was ordered to pay more than £100,000 for safety failings this month (November 4), after a worker’s thumb was severed.