An animal feed manufacturer has been ordered to pay out nearly £600,000 after a worker lost his arm after becoming entangled in a conveyor.
Bartosz Gaj, a blender operative, had been attempting to clear a blockage at AB Agri Limited’s premises in Driffield, East Yorkshire, in November 2021.
Mr Gaj’s hand was drawn into the conveyor mechanism, severing the 34-year-old’s right arm below the elbow.
He had only been working at the company for a few months at the time of the incident.
As a result of his life-changing injury, Mr Gaj was unable to return to work for more than two years.
The conveyor had been installed a few months before the incident, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found.
It was prone to blockages which needed to be cleared by pulling out a manual slide plate, removing the accumulated material and resetting a cut-off switch.
The HSE investigation found that operatives routinely cleared blockages themselves if they could be done quickly, even though they had not been adequately trained in isolation procedures.
There had been no review of the risk assessment for operating the conveyor when the new conveyor was installed, the health and safety watchdog said.
Its investigation also found that there was no system for checking that guards and safety features were in place prior to using the conveyor.
Guidance published by HSE states that effective measures should be taken to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
In addition, machinery should be isolated before interventions are carried out, while employees should be adequately trained in isolation procedures.
HSE inspector, Sally Gay said: “The life changing injury Mr Gaj suffered could so easily have been avoided by properly assessing the risks, and applying the correct control measures and safe working practices.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
AB Agri Limited was fined £566,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,410 at Hull Magistrates’ Court on 5 March 2025.
