A baked goods manufacturer has been fined £333,333 after a worker suffered multiple fractures when her arm became entangled in a sausage roll production line.
Ribeca Jesuthasan was working for David Wood Baking Limited at its food manufacturing facility in Sheerness, Kent, when the incident occurred in December 2023.
Worker injured during cleaning
Ms Jesuthasan was cleaning the sausage roll production line and passed her hand through an unguarded conveyor roller.
Although the conveyor had initially been switched off, it began operating while the cleaning work was taking place.
Her arm was subsequently pulled into the rotating roller, causing multiple fractures.
HSE identifies guarding failure
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that David Wood Baking Limited had failed to prevent access to the rotating parts of the conveyor line.
Employers have a legal responsibility to introduce effective measures preventing workers from accessing dangerous machinery components.
HSE states that fixed guarding will normally be required. Where routine access to machinery is necessary, interlocked guards may be appropriate to prevent dangerous components from moving before an individual can reach the hazardous area.
Food manufacturing guidance highlighted
HSE guidance, “A recipe for safety: Health and safety in food and drink manufacture, HSG252”, addresses significant health and safety hazards across food and drink manufacturing and provides practical guidance for managing associated risks.
Machinery safety is particularly important where production equipment requires regular cleaning, maintenance or other interventions that could place employees close to moving components.
Company fined £333,333
David Wood Baking Limited, of Calverley Road, Leeds, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
At Medway Court on 1 September 2026, the company was fined £333,333 and ordered to pay £7,644 in costs.
HSE inspector Delcina Burden said: “Too many workers are seriously injured every year as a result of contact with dangerous parts of machinery due to inadequate or absent guarding.
“If simple measures had been taken, this incident could have been avoided.
“The sentence handed down by the court in this case should demonstrate that the courts and HSE take breaches of health and safety law seriously. We will not hesitate to take action against companies that fail to do all they can to keep people safe.”
