A worker lost part of his foot after it became entangled in machinery at a York factory.
William Thompson (York) Limited was fined £500,000 after the man suffered life-changing injuries.
It happened at the Thompsons of York animal feed factory at Jubilee Mill, off Murton Lane.
The 41-year-old was working as a supervisor at the site on 14 November 2023.
At the time of the incident, he had been trying to resolve a maintenance issue with the machinery.
He was able to open the feed press while its parts remained in operation at significant speed.
His foot became entangled in the rotating auger – a tool consisting of a central shaft with a blade wrapped around it which is designed to transport excess feed away from the press.
He sustained injuries so serious he remained in hospital for six weeks.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company failed to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machinery and also to carry out a suitable risk assessment of the work being done.
HSE guidance states employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
William Thompson (York) Limited, of Main Street, Malton, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. The company was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £4,455 in costs at York Magistrates court on Tuesday (18 November).
HSE onspector Shauna Halstead said: “This company’s failures resulted in a man sustaining life-changing injuries.
“Too many workers are injured or killed every year because of failures to guard dangerous parts of machinery.
“Companies must implement safe working practices when carrying out maintenance operations.
“We will not hesitate to take action against companies which do not do all they should to keep people safe when working with machinery.”
