A food manufacturing firm was sentenced today for safety breaches after a worker suffered partial de-gloving of his hand.

The worker had several fingers broken in an incident that happened in February 2015, when his hand was pulled into a pastry lid maker that had been modified to improve its operation, including removing parts of the guarding system.

When the modification was removed because it was ineffective the guards were not replaced. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and took action against Thomas of York Ltd.

Thomas of York Ltd in Helmsley, York pleaded guilty to breaching the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, regulations 11 and 14, and was fined £6,500 with £691.45 costs at Northallerton Magistrates’ Court.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Julian Franklin commented: “Modifying machines should always involve a reassessment of the safety of that machine. Guard checking routines should be periodically audited to ensure they remain effective.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ 
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk