David Wood Baking Limited, a prominent baked goods manufacturer, has been fined £333,333 after one of its employees sustained multiple fractures, including a broken arm, when it became entangled in a sausage roll conveyor line. The incident occurred on 1 December 2023 at the company’s food manufacturing factory in Sheerness, Kent, highlighting critical failures in machinery guarding.
Employee’s arm caught in unguarded conveyor at Kent factory
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation into the workplace incident. It was revealed that Ribeca Jesuthasan was engaged in cleaning a sausage roll production line when her hand passed through an unguarded conveyor roller. Despite the conveyor line initially being switched off, it unexpectedly began to operate during her cleaning task. Her arm was subsequently pulled into the rotating roller, resulting in severe and multiple fractures.
The HSE investigation concluded that David Wood Baking Limited had failed to implement adequate measures to prevent access to the rotating parts of the sausage roll conveyor line. Employers bear a fundamental legal duty to ensure the safety of their workforce, which includes taking effective steps to prevent access to dangerous machinery. This typically involves the installation of robust fixed guarding. In scenarios where routine access to machinery is necessary, such as for cleaning or maintenance, interlocked guards are often required.
These specialised guards are designed to prevent dangerous parts from moving before a person can reach the hazard zone, thereby significantly reducing the risk of injury.
David Wood Baking Limited, based in Calverley Road, Leeds, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
The company was ordered to pay a substantial fine of £333,333, alongside additional costs of £7,644, at Medway Court on 1 September 2026. This prosecution underscores the serious consequences for organisations that fail to uphold their health and safety obligations.
HSE inspector Delcina Burden commented on the case, stating, “Far too many workers suffer serious injuries each year due to contact with dangerous parts of machinery, a direct result of inadequate or absent guarding.
This incident was entirely preventable had simple measures been put in place.” She further emphasised, “The sentence handed down by the court in this case should serve as a clear demonstration that both the courts and the HSE treat breaches of health and safety law with the utmost seriousness. We will not hesitate to take decisive action against companies that fail to do everything within their power to keep their employees safe.”
The Health and Safety Executive consistently provides comprehensive guidance to assist businesses in managing workplace risks. For the food and drink manufacturing sector, specific advice is available in publications such as ‘A recipe for safety: Health and safety in food and drink manufacture (HSG252)’.
This guidance outlines the primary health and safety hazards prevalent in the industry and offers practical strategies for effective risk management, including detailed information on machinery guarding best practices. The HSE’s commitment is to protect people and places, ensuring everyone can lead safer and healthier lives through robust regulation and enforcement.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre.
