Pet Care Company Prosecuted for Health and Safety Breaches
Pet care company Nestle Purina has been prosecuted after a steam pressure system at a Cambridgeshire plant left five workers with severe burns. The five men were blasted by a release of boiling water and steam whilst operating the high-pressure food-processing machine in Wisbech.
David Naylor, Christopher Newell, David Garner, Gary Coe and Mark Mawby were all treated in a local hospital for burns to the face and hands though one of the victims did later need cosmetic surgery to his arm. A Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the control systems had been modified prior to the incident though no appropriate health and safety audits or risk assessments had taken place.
“This incident highlights the need for companies to plan and implement all projects with a clear health and safety oversight. In particular, there are strict rules and regulations around the modifications and repairs of high pressure systems that are in place to protect workers operating or maintaining these machines,” HSE Inspector Peter Burns revealed.
Nestle Purina Petcare (UK) Limited of Croydon, Surrey were fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £22,634 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to breaching the 2000 Pressure Systems Safety Regulations and the 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc, Act.
“Had Nestle Purina followed these regulations properly, this incident may have been avoided and these five men may not have suffered the injuries they did. HSE will not hesitate to prosecute companies who fail to take their health and safety obligations seriously.”
