Food firm fined for fall
April 16th 15:41 Health and Safety
The use of effective facilities management services in the UK's food industry could be set to increase following an incident in Lincolnshire.
Bakkavor Fresh Cook has been fined by Spalding magistrates for breaching sections of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act.
The firm was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay costs of £2,091 after a female employee fell into a machine while carrying out cleaning duties.
Jo Anderson, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive, said: "No-one at Bakkavor realised that climbing was involved [in] cleaning this machine.
"A risk assessment should have been carried out and an examination of how work at height was being undertaken. This case highlights the need for employers to be aware of what goes on during the night shift."
The worker was forced to take five weeks off of work due to sever headaches and neck and back pains.
Bakkavor was handed the fine after pleading guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the 1974 Act.
