Machine was missing guards, court hears

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.”