The incidents took place in a factory in Suffolk (UK) where the company, 2 Sisters Food Group, produces raw and prepared chicken products.
The first involved Shaun Alexander, 42, who was helping a member of staff to clean equipment in December 2009. The employee’s hand was pulled into two cogs and crushed due to a safety guard that had been removed.
The second accident took place in January 2010 when fork lift driver Malcolm Raven, 54, was left to man the pre-slaughter area for the chickens. The worker had entered an enclosure to clear a blockage that had occurred in the system when his arm became trapped and was subsequently broken. It came to light that the company had arranged for a by-pass device to be fitted that could overrule a safety control that would have prevented this incident.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, later prosecuted 2 Sisters Food Group for both incidents. The company admitted to breaching Health and Safety law and was fined for the injuries. The total fines came to £230,000, with costs ordered to pay of £24,350.
Helen Grieves, Principle solicitor at personal injury claims specialist Grieves Solicitors, said: “It is reassuring to see the 2 Sisters Food Group brought to justice, after showcasing such a negligent approach to health and safety. Both accidents were wholly avoidable and the injuries sustained could have been even more serious. Businesses are responsible for the safety of their employees- when something of this nature occurs they are liable.”
Source: Grieves Solicitors
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024