Meat processor fined over horrific accident

London - The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging companies to implement and maintain safe systems of work and to offer full training to staff after a cleaner was fatally injured while cleaning a blending machine at Delico Ltd’s meat processing plant in Milton Keynes.

Delico Ltd based in Hull, was prosecuted at Aylesbury Crown Court and fined £160,000 and ordered to pay costs of £40,452 as a result of the incident. The company had pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at a hearing in Milton Keynes Magistrates¹ Court on 10 July.

HSE investigated the incident at Delico’s meat processing plant in Snelshall West, Milton Keynes on 19 May 2007. Supervisor Lynda Trebilcock, was cleaning one of the blending machines when a powered door on the machine closed unexpectedly and she suffered severe head injuries. She died at the scene.

HSE Inspector Karl Howes said: “Employers must ensure that they implement safe systems of work for staff using machinery. They must make certain that safety features on machines, such as guards are not overridden. All areas of risk need to be assessed, including cleaning and maintenance tasks, to make sure that tragic incidents like this do not happen.”