Firm in court after worker's finger severed

Andrew Rawson was operating a food casing machine at Rillatech’s factory when the incident happened on 8 January 2013.

Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court heard that while trying to free a jam inside the machine, which was still running,  Andrew Rawson reached around the guards and his fingers came into contact with a clipper. The index finger on his right hand was severed at the first joint, as well as the tip of his right thumb.

Mr Rawson required plastic surgery to treat his injuries and was unable to drive for three months. He was off work for a year but has since returned to work for the company.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the machine and another identical model should have been installed with better guarding to protect workers while removing blockages.

HSE found a similar incident had happened previously and that Rillatech subsequently installed further guarding, but this did not fully prevent operators accessing dangerous moving parts of the machine.

Guarding has now been improved and safer systems of work implemented to help prevent similar incidents occurring.

Rillatech of Callywhite Lane, Dronfield, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £13,000 with £20,353 costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Stuart Parry said: "It is remarkable that, despite previous similar incidents and risk assessments being carried out, Rillatech still did not install better guarding on its food casing machines.

"This incident was entirely preventable and it is most unfortunate that it took an employee to suffer such serious injuries to make the company take action to better protect its employees when operating machinery.”