Workplace laceration injury: employer fined £200,000

Engineering company fined for laceration

Health and Safety Executive v Moy Park Ltd (2017) Lincoln Crown Court, April 12

Statutory reference: s.2 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974 (HSWA).

Moy Park Ltd, an engineering company, has been fined after an employee suffered deep laceration of his hand.

The facts

· An engineer employed by the company was checking the blades of a cutting line at the company’s site in Lincolnshire.

· The machine restarted and he was not able to move his hand away from the blade which he was inspecting. He suffered deep laceration to his hand.

· The HSE investigation found that the company had failed to implement a safe system of work in relation to isolating procedures when maintaining the machinery.

The decision

The company was fined £200,000 plus £11,900 under s.2, HSWA.