Inadequate machine guards contribute towards accident
A worker suffered serious injuries cleaning a machine that did not have the correct guards on - 10th July 2009
An employee at the Wrigley's chewing gum factory in
Plymouth suffered serious
workplace injuries after being involved in an
accident at
work.
The man's workplace
accident happened as he was cleaning a conveyor
belt and his arm became snagged, and dragged into
the machines tail drum.
Wrigley's had been warned previously about
failings in their health
and safety measures, and a lack of guards on
their machines had been observed including the one
on which the worker suffered his
injuries
at work.
At Plymouth's Crown Court Wrigley's pleaded guilty
to two breaches of safety regulations relating to
the safe management of machinery, and they were
fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £21,000 in costs.
A Health and Safety
Executive inspector said: "This incident was
entirely preventable and happened because the moving
conveyor belt was unguarded. He has not been able to
return to his previous work since the incident, and
remains signed off from the company."
