​Nestlé UK Fined £640,000 After Worker's Arm Became Trapped In Machine

The incident happened at Nestlé's site in Albion Mills, Halifax, on 13 February 2016 when a technical operator ended up being pulled into an After Eight production machine.

Yesterday (13 January), Bradford Crown Court heard that the company had breached health and safety regulations over the incident.

A cloth he was holding with his right hand was then dragged into the machine, pulling his arm with it.

Due to the position he was in, he was unable to reach around to hit the emergency stop button.

He was released from the machine by paramedics and had to later undergo surgery for a double compound fracture to his right arm.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation into the incident and found that Nestlé UK had failed to prevent access to potentially dangerous moving parts of the machine - in this instance, one called the in-running nip.

They also found there was a gap that was big enough to allow access to a belt conveyor entry on the production line.

Following the investigation, Nestlé UK pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

They were fined £640,000 and ordered to pay £26,234 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Jacqueline Ferguson said: "This is a tragic incident that could so easily have been avoided.

"The risks inherent in failures to properly guard dangerous parts of machinery are well known in industry and to Nestlé.

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

Nestlé UK declined to comment when approached by LADbible.