Food manufacturer fined after hand crush

On 4 November 2009, Tulip Limited was fined £65,000 and ordered to pay £29,523 costs following an accident where one of their employees crushed three of their fingers after putting their hand into a packing machine.

Ludmila Jurkevica, 27, who was working at their Kings Lynn site, attempted to clear a blockage in a packing machine when her hand got stuck. The machine was unguarded and staff had not had training on use of the machine.

Tulip Limited pleaded guilty to offences under s2(1) of the HSWA1974. It admitted to failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machinery and failing to make a sufficient risk assessment of the machine.

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