Safety Signs News

Hand injury illustrates importance of warning signs

19th February 2010 | Warning Signs

A food company has been fined following an accident in which a worker's hand was crushed, illustrating the importance of using warning signs.

Bakkavor Foods Ltd, which has subsidiaries in the UK, was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,000 at Grantham Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 11(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 as result of an August 2008 accident.

An employee was reaching into a screw conveyor to try to remove several cabbages blocking the machine, when it started up again, crushing the man's hand and causing permanent injuries.

Jo Anderson, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive, commented: "It is often assumed companies of this size adhere to health and safety policies at all times. In this instance, Bakkavor failed to efficiently maintain the protective guards in place to prevent employees accessing dangerous parts of the factory's machinery."

Meanwhile, Carillion JM was recently fined £185,000 following an incident in which a worker was severely inured in a transport accident, illustrating the importance of warning signs.

Posted Ben Alexander ADNFCR-2754-ID-19625411-ADNFCR