Samworth Brothers Limited, a prominent food manufacturer, has been fined £594,000 following an incident at its Kettleby Foods factory in Melton Mowbray where two workers sustained severe scald injuries. The prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) highlighted significant safety failings during maintenance work on steam pipework. The company was also ordered to pay £5,834 in prosecution costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
Failings in safety procedures led to severe burns at Melton Mowbray factory
The incident occurred when an employee and a contractor were undertaking maintenance work on steam pipework within the boiler room of the Kettleby Foods factory. Their task involved replacing a leaking gasket in an isolation valve. The men were working from a gantry, but due to inadequate access to the specific section of pipework, both individuals had to step off the gantry and work directly on top of the boiler. It was during the removal of the gasket that both workers were suddenly splashed with hot water from the pipework, resulting in painful scald injuries.
One of the men suffered 4-5% subdermal burns, while his colleague sustained more severe 9% subdermal, second-degree burns. These injuries necessitated medical attention and caused considerable pain and suffering to the individuals involved.
An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive revealed a series of failures by Samworth Brothers Limited. The company had failed to adequately assess the risks associated with the maintenance task and did not document a safe system of work for the procedures being undertaken. Crucially, suitable isolation and lock-off procedures, which are vital for preventing unexpected energy release during maintenance, were not implemented at the time of the incident.
Furthermore, the investigation identified that the work was being carried out at height without sufficient measures in place to prevent a fall. The lack of proper access from the gantry, forcing workers onto the boiler, exacerbated the risks. The HSE also found a significant absence of adequate supervision and monitoring procedures to ensure that established safety processes were being followed by the workforce.
HSE guidance states that tasks requiring isolation demand meticulous planning, including the preparation and coordination of essential job documentation such as risk assessments, method statements, permits, and isolation certificates. It also mandates that the integrity of isolations must be thoroughly proven before any intrusive work commences. Similarly, when working at height, employers are responsible for ensuring that work is properly planned, supervised, and executed by competent individuals, utilising the correct type of equipment for the task.
HSE Inspector Stacey Gamwell commented on the case, stating that a company of Samworth Brothers Limited’s size should have demonstrated a higher standard of safety. She emphasised that the incident was entirely avoidable and could have led to even more severe consequences. Inspector Gamwell highlighted that a proper risk assessment would have identified the necessity for robust controls for working at height, alongside stringent isolation and lock-off procedures. She added that adequate supervision and monitoring were essential to ensure these procedures and controls were effectively enforced.
Inspector Gamwell concluded by stating that the company’s failings directly led to severe and painful scalding injuries that should never have occurred. She issued a stark warning to employers, asserting that the HSE would not hesitate to take action against firms that fall short in their duty to keep people safe.
Samworth Brothers Limited, based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre.
