Company fined after worker loses the tips of two fingers
Solway Foods Ltd has been fined after a worker lost the tips of two fingers whilst working at Avana Bakeries in Rogerstone, Newport.
What happened?
The 28-year-old woman was cleaning the machinery at Avana Bakeries with one of colleagues when the accident happened.
She was cleaning cake mixture from a pipe by hand when her fingers touched the moving machinery and became caught in the pump mechanism. It severed the tips of her index and middle fingers of her right hand.
The company had placed safety bars on most of the other pumps in the factory, however they had failed to fix them onto the pump involved in the accident.
The employee continues to suffer pain as a result of the incident, and has difficulty carrying out daily tasks such as brushing her hair or writing.
What was the outcome?
Solway Foods Ltd of Trinity Business Park, Wakefield pleaded guilty to a breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, and was fined £2,400 and ordered to pay £4,373 in costs.
HSE Inspector, Joanne Carter, said:
“Blockages of moving machinery are common occurrences in
the food industry and employees will often try to
remove them or try to clean them while
a machine is moving.
“If access to dangerous parts is not prevented,
they could be badly injured.
“It is particularly disappointing that the company in this case
had recognised the risk but had failed to guard
all the pumps to the same standard.”
If you have been affected by an accident at work, and you would like expert advice, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email
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