Fish Processor Fined £451,500 After Serious Machine Incident
A fish processing company has been fined £451,500 after a supervisor suffered life-threatening injuries while attempting to clear a blockage in a palletiser machine at its Lerwick plant.
According to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Pelagia Shetland Limited pleaded guilty to health and safety failings following the incident on 10 October 2024. The supervisor became trapped after entering the machine area through a removed panel rather than using a damaged safety gate. The machine restarted when a sensor was triggered, causing devastating injuries. [press.hse.gov.uk]
The worker suffered:
- Eight fractured ribs
- A pelvis fractured in five places
- Fractured clavicle and scapula
- Two collapsed lungs
He spent 10 days in intensive care and a further 10 days in a high-dependency unit after being airlifted to hospital. [press.hse.gov.uk]
HSE investigators found damaged safety fencing and a faulty interlocking gate had led to unsafe working practices, allowing staff to bypass critical safety controls. The company has since reinstated safety barriers and updated procedures to prevent a recurrence. [press.hse.gov.uk]
Key takeaway: Safety guards and lockout procedures exist for a reason. Bypassing them can have life-changing consequences.
#WorkplaceSafety #HealthAndSafety #Manufacturing #FoodProcessing #HSE #SafetyFirst #Lerwick [press.hse.gov.uk]
