Could biscuit giant's fine encourage adoption of facilities management health and safety processes?
August 2nd 16:25 Health and Safety
United Biscuits, which manufacturers McVities, one of the UK's biggest biscuit brands, has been fined £10,000 for breaching health and safety rules.
This could inspire a number of UK-based businesses to adopt facilities management health and safety processes in order to avoid similar punishments.
Following an investigation by the Health and safety Executive (HSE), the biscuit giant pleaded guilty to breaching section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Halifax Magistrates court was told how a female employee had her fingers severed when attempting to clean an industrial-sized mixer at the firm's Halifax site.
The company was also ordered to pay £2,889 in court costs.
Rachel Brittain, an HSE inspector said: "An incident like this should not happen in any company, but taking place in such a large scale food manufacturer such as this is absolutely unacceptable.
"Preventing access to moving parts and fitting guards is an elementary and essential precautionary measure and inexpensive. By not putting these measures in place United Biscuits failed to fulfil its duty of care to its employees."
