Wellingborough Magistrates Court heard how an engineer was injured after they attempted to maintain a flour sifter machine by clearing a blockage at the baker’s Corby plant on 2 February 2022.
Following the removal of a guard, the employee checked the tension of a drive belt and his hand got pulled around the bottom pully, which re resulted in the amputation of part of his right middle finger. They were unaware that the machine had been switched back on.
HSE investigation
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Jacksons Bakery failed to implement a safe system of work ensuring that machinery was isolated and then locked off during maintenance work when fixed guards would be removed.
Additionally, HSE found that engineers were unclear on when to isolate and ‘lock out tag out’ machines due to an absence of adequate training and instruction. The fact that it was custom and practice to not robustly isolate and lock off illustrated an absence of adequate supervision and monitoring.
Jacksons Bakery Limited of The Riverside Building, Liverstone Road, Hessle, East Yorkshire, HU13 0DZ, pleaded guilty to contravening a requirement of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Fine and costs
The company was fined £366,666 and was ordered to pay £5,386 costs at a hearing at Wellingborough Magistrates Court on 3 October 2024.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Rebecca Gibson said: “This unnecessary incident highlights the duty on employers to ensure that there are robust procedures in place relating to maintenance activities.
“If an appropriate ‘lock out tag out’ procedure had been produced and implemented and with suitable training, the serious injury would have been avoided.”
Meanwhile, confectionery manufacturer Oriental Delight (UK) Ltd was fined £150k after repeatedly failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
