Business Fined for Health and Safety at Work Breach
A leading European food business has been fined a six-figure sum after two incidents left employees with serious injuries. The company, 2 Sisters Food Group, which produces a variety of chicken products, admitted to breaching health and safety at work regulations at its Suffolk factory.
The employee, 42-year-old Shaun Alexander, lost four fingers after attempting to clean equipment at the plant during 2009. Mr Alexander’s hand was crushed after two rotating cogs pulled it inside. A Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the machine had no safety guard in place.
The second accident followed less than four weeks later. Malcolm Raven, 54, broke his arm when clearing a blockage in the system at Fixton, near Bungay. The incident could have been prevented had the firm not implemented a device that by-passed the safety controls.
“Both these incidents were wholly avoidable. Shaun Alexander was failed by the company’s lack of proper training, inadequate assessment of risks, absence of safe working practices and effective measures stopping access to dangerous equipment. He will have to live with the consequences of someone else’s mistakes for the rest of his life,” HSE Inspector Julie Jarvey revealed.
2 Sisters Food Group from West Bromwich was subsequently fined £230,000 and told to pay prosecution costs amounting to £24,350 for breaching Section 2 (1) of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act.
