An Edinburgh company was fined £1000 after a worker seriously injured his hand on an unguarded dough mixer.
Joseph Burnett, 22, was working for Jian’s Dumplings Ltd at the company’s former premises in Gracemount Business Pavilions, Captains Road when the incident happened in June 2010.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Mr Burnett, a factory assistant, was helping to sort ingredients, make Chinese dumplings to order and package products.
Mr Burnett was concerned the dough was too wet and began to add extra flour into the mixer by hand. He suddenly felt his hand and arm being pulled into the drum of the machine, with his arm going in past the elbow of his right arm before he managed to pull himself free.
He suffered two factures in his fingers, ripped tendons and he had to undergo surgery, required 30-40 stitches, his arm was in a plaster cast for eight weeks and he needed physiotherapy to help restore movement in his fingers. He still has limited movement in his index finger.
Jian’s Dumplings Ltd, of Loanhead, Midlothian, pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
HSE inspector Katie Dunlop said the incident could have been avoided if a suitable risk assessment had been carried out.
