Daniel Winters was cleaning debris from a bubble wrap making machine at a factory in Milton Keynes when his right hand became caught on an in-running nip, trapping it between two rollers.
The machine was running, and the plastic material inside was at a temperature of more than 200 degrees centigrade.
The 29-year-old from Leighton Buzzard suffered severe injuries in the incident on 18 May 2011, including the loss of most of three fingers from his right hand.
Although he has since returned to work, his injury meant that it has been in a different capacity.
An HSE investigation found there was no guarding in place to prevent access to the dangerous parts of the machine. An Improvement Notice was issued and complied with.
“Running nips are a common hazard in many industries,” explained HSE inspector Karl Howes, “and all machines should be guarded to prevent human contact with the dangerous parts.
“When machines are used with very hot plastics, these can be very dangerous.
“Employers using this sort of equipment need to make sure there is adequate guarding and, if Sansetsu (UK) Limited had taken the simple and inexpensive step of installing one, then this incident would never have happened.”
Sansetsu (UK) Limited, of Bradbourne Drive, Tilbrook in Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court to breaching Regulation 11(1) of Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
The company was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,742.
