Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard that the employee was part of a maintenance crew at ITW Limited, and was repairing a break in the plastic sheeting.
The court was told the employee was rethreading broken plastic sheeting into a pinch roll when his gloved hand was caught and dragged into the rollers. The first finger on his right hand was so badly damaged it was surgically removed below the knuckle.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on 30 May 2012, found that there was inadequate guarding along the length of the production line, despite ITW Ltd having identified the risks.
ITW Limited, of Queensway, Fforestfach, Swansea, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,018.
