Pork pie firm fined £800,000 after Nottingham workers lose fingers

A worker was hurt at Tottle Bakery as he tried to unblock a conveyor

A firm that specialises in making pork pies has been fined £800,000 after two staff members lost fingers which became trapped in machinery.

Both workers had fingers amputated after separate incidents at Nottingham bakeries run by Pork Farms Ltd.

The firm admitted breaches of health and safety laws at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on 18 March.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said both incidents were "completely preventable".

Warning: This article contains an X-ray image some may find distressing

The HSE said a 22-year-old worker's hand became trapped when he tried to clear a blockage on a conveyor at the company's Tottle Bakery, in Dunsil Drive, on 16 November 2022.

It said an unsuitable interlock had been used on a guard over a chain conveyor system.

The HSE found the device had not been adequately inspected or maintained and failed, moving automatically and trapping the man's hand, as he tried to adjust the conveyor chain.

A 19-year-old staff member at the company's Riverside Bakery, in Crossgate Drive, suffered a similar injury on 24 December 2022.

The HSE said his gloved hand became entangled in an unguarded rotating drive shaft.

There was also no warning system to give notice that the conveyor was about to start working and emergency stop controls were not readily accessible, the HSE said.

An X-ray shows the injury suffered by a 19-year-old worker

Pork Farms Ltd was fined £600,000 for the Tottle Bakery offence and £200,000 for the Riverside Bakery incident.

It was also ordered to pay £6,482 in court costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Tim Nicholson said: "Both of these incidents were completely preventable.

"They left two young men with injuries that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

"Companies shouldn't overlook important machinery safety basics, including provision and maintenance of adequate guards and protection devices, to ensure that access to dangerous parts of machinery is prevented.

"Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards."