The 64-year-old worker was vacuuming a mill which produces feeds at W L Duffield and Sons’ Saxlingham Thorpe Mill site in April last year, Norwich Magistrates’ Court heard.
Inside the narrow gantry, the worker rested his right hand onto the frame of an uncovered slide valve, which opened suddenly and saw the steel shutter slid along the frame and trap the man’s little finger. It had to be amputated.
An Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that metal covers designed to protect workers from dangerous parts were missing from two of the three slide valves at the base of the mixer.
HSE inspector Anthony Brookes said: “This man unnecessarily suffered a life changing injury to his hand due to W L Duffield and Sons’ failure to protect him from dangerous machinery. This case should act as a reminder to all employers who possess machinery to ensure they have the correct safety measures in place.”
W L Duffield and Sons Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998. It was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,008.
