A food production company has been fined £858,000 after an employee had
his arm amputated after becoming entangled in an industrial food mixer.
Lee Simpson was removing filling ingredients from a paddle mixer, from
which the contents could be removed at the front, at David Wood Baking
Limited’s premises in Sheerness, Kent when his right hand and arm were
drawn in. Lee, from Sheerness, who was 26 years old at the time, had to have
surgically removed. He said he has now lost much of his independence. He
said: “life has changed so much since the accident and I am doing everything
I can to improve, but it will never be the same. Since my accident I have
become dependent on others, primarily my family and fiancee, to complete
daily activities for me, such as cooking and domestic tasks such as doing the
laundry .” The incident happened on September 27, 2021 at the Mill House,
Dorset Road, Sheerness, where David Wood Baking Limited makes sausage
rolls, quiches and other products.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the
control measures in place to prevent contact with moving parts were
ineffective as the guarding of the mixer was routinely not replaced after
cleaning. The ‘interlocking’ system was also defeated which meant the
mixer would still operate without the front guard in place, putting
employee’s, including Mr Simpson, at risk when operating it.
David Wood Baking Limited pleaded guilty to breaches under the
provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, Regulation
11(1)(b) and was fined £858,000 and ordered to pay £8,ooo costs at
at Folkestone Magistrates Court on December 21, 2022.
HSE Inspector Joanne Williams said:”A wide variety of work equipment and
machinery is used across food production .
