3rd October 2024

Routine HSE Inspection Results In £150,000 Fine For Food Manufacturer

What’s Happened?

A food manufacturing company has been fined £150,000 for failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. The failings came to light during a routine site visit by an inspector from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

HSE visited the site as part of a routine inspection programme for manufacturing businesses. During the visit, multiple failings were identified relating to the inadequate guarding of machinery. As a result, three machines were deemed unsafe for use due to interlocking safety devices being defeated and guards being completely removed.

Deja Vu?

It came to light that this wasn’t the first time the company had been told about inadequate machinery guarding as they had come to the HSE’s attention back in 2019 when prohibition notices were issued for the same offences.

During this recent visit, it soon transpired that identical guarding failings were again found at the site, demonstrating that the company had not only failed to sustain improvements but had effectively ignored HSE’s previous enforcement action by continuing to use these machines in an unsafe manner.

In Court

The company was prosecuted as a result of the continued failings and appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 4th September 2024.

The company pleaded guilty to three breaches of Regulation 11(1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,020.

Following the hearing, the HSE Inspector involved in the prosecution said: “This case sends out a clear message to the food manufacturing industry that HSE will not hesitate to prosecute when inspectors find serious health and safety failings, particularly when previous enforcement and advice has been provided.”

If you have any queries regarding machinery health and safety, PUWER assessments or guarding requirements, don’t hesitate to call our health and safety adviceline on 0300 3035228 or email us at info@lighthouseriskservices.co.uk.