WEST Bromwich-based poultry producer 2 Sisters Food has been fined £230,000 after two of its workers were seriously injured at its plant in Suffolk.
The group, which is owned by entrepreneur Ranjit Boparan who also counts Harry Ramsden’s and Northern Foods among his stable of companies, was prosecuted after a worker lost four fingers and part of his thumb while another broke his arm.
The fine, along with a costs bill of £24,350, was handed out at Norwich Crown Court yesterday after 2 Sisters Food admitted two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Night shift supervisor Shaun Alexander, from Kesingland in Suffolk, was helping a member of his team to clean equipment at the 2 Sisters plant near Bungay in December 2009.
His hand was pulled into two rotating cogs and crushed. A safety guard had been removed from the machinery, said the Health and Safety Executive which carried out the prosecution.
A month later, fork lift driver Malcolm Raven, from Lowestoft, was left in charge of a pre-slaughter area for chickens.
He entered an enclosure to clear a blockage in the system and his arm was trapped and broken.
The HSE said the company had fitted a by-pass device to over-ride a safety control which would have prevented the incident.
2 Sisters said in a statement: “It is regrettable that this (incident) indicated training of machine minders, hygiene operatives, supervisors and managers fell short of our stringently high standards.
“The case concerned is regrettable and the company has worked hard since this occurrence to improve its training procedures, risk assessments and systems of work for cleaning duties and operations within the Flixton factory.
“Safety of our employees at every site remains our highest priority and we will strive for continuous improvement in all of our working practices.”
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