Leicester manufacturer fined £50k after worker suffered severe injuries

A Leicester-based packaging manufacturer has been sentenced after an employee suffered severe injuries to a number of his fingers.

Leicester Crown Court heard how, on 4 March 2016, an employee of CPS Flexible (now called Fusion Flexibles ) was operating a conversion machine with a heated blade to cut through the plastic sheets. Whilst the employee was cleaning this hot blade, it lowered without warning causing severe, irreversible injuries to three fingers on his right hand.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had failed to both identify this risk of the blade lowering without warning and to put in place appropriate measures to eliminate the risk.

CPS Flexible of Ratby Lane, Leicester pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and has been fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,825.

HSE inspector Mark Austin said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided if the company had taken measures to prevent this risk of the blade falling without warning, an issue with the machine that was known to many of the employees beforehand.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”