WEPA Professional UK Limited has been fined £60,000 after a 24-year-old worker suffered severe crushing injuries to his hand while clearing a machine blockage at its Blackburn factory on 31 March 2024. The tissue manufacturing company was also ordered to pay costs of £5,107 following the incident, which occurred at its premises on Waterfall Street.
Company failed to address known machinery blockage risks.
The incident unfolded when a tissue blockage occurred in the rollers of a machine. The lead machine operator, attempting to clear the obstruction, instructed a colleague to ‘jog’ the machine – a process involving momentary energisation for small, precise movements – while he cleared the paper by hand. As the machine moved, the worker’s right hand became trapped in the rollers, resulting in serious crushing injuries. Despite managing to pull his hand free, the damage sustained was significant.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that tissue blockages were a frequent occurrence at the factory, happening approximately two to three times daily. Crucially, the investigation found a complete absence of a safe system of work for unblocking the tissue machinery. Furthermore, a risk assessment conducted in 2021 had identified the need for formal safe operating procedures to mitigate such risks, yet these recommendations were never implemented by the company.
HSE guidance on the safe use of work equipment unequivocally stresses the importance of adhering to safe isolation and lock-off procedures before undertaking any maintenance or unblocking tasks on machinery. Employers are legally obligated to ensure that equipment is properly isolated from all power sources and that systems are regularly monitored and reviewed to prevent inadvertent contact with dangerous moving parts. The lack of such fundamental safety measures at WEPA Professional UK Limited directly contributed to the worker’s severe injury.
WEPA Professional UK Limited, based in Blackburn, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was sentenced at Burnley Magistrates Court on 29 April 2026, where the fine and costs were imposed.
HSE principal inspector Emily Osborne commented on the case, stating that the serious injury sustained by the young worker was entirely preventable. She highlighted the absence of a safe system of work for the task, coupled with inadequate instructions and training, which ultimately led to the man’s severe hand injury. Inspector Osborne further emphasised that employers have a clear duty to ensure the safety of their workforce, particularly when dealing with hazardous machinery. The prosecution serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of implementing robust safety procedures and acting upon identified risks to prevent such devastating incidents.
Originally published by the Health and Safety Executive.
