Packaging Firm Fined Over Worker’s Severed Fingers

A packaging firm has been fined £200,000 after one of its employees severely injured both hands when they became trapped in heavy machinery.



The 25-year-old man worked for Smurfit Kappa UK Ltd. at its factory in Whitehaven in Cumbria. He lost four fingers and severed parts of two others in the incident.



An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the employee had not received suitable training and was not being appropriately supervised at the time of the accident.



The court heard that the man was preparing to operate a power press machine, which exerts forces of up to 35 tonnes, in order to stamp out the metal lids that go at either end of the cardboard tubes used for packaging bottles of whisky. He had changed the part of the machine that predetermines the size of the metal disc that is cut out and was testing it to make sure that it produced the correct size of lid. As he reached under the pressing tool to extract the lid, the machine stamped down on his hands.



Not only was there inadequate supervision and a failure to provide sufficient training on how to operate the machine safely, but also no risk assessment of the task was in place. Smurfit Kappa UK Ltd. pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the safety of its employees in breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay £19,308 in prosecution costs.



HSE Inspector Andrew Jewitt said, “The employee was off work for ten months due to the extent of his injuries, but they will continue to affect him for the rest of his life. He now struggles with everyday activities, like writing and cutting up food, which most of us take for granted.



“The risk of serious injury from power presses is well known in the manufacturing industry and the worker’s injuries could have been avoided if Smurfit Kappa had made sure he and his supervisors had been properly trained.



“Incidents like this will continue to happen if employers don’t take the risks seriously.”



The HSE website contains guidance on improving safety in the manufacturing industry.