In a stark reminder of the ongoing dangers in industrial settings, a plastic packaging manufacturer, Reflex Flexible Packaging Limited, has been fined a substantial amount after a worker's hand was severely crushed in a laminator machine. This incident, which occurred on January 17, 2025, at the company's site in Halesfield, Telford, highlights the critical need for stringent safety measures in machinery design and maintenance.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has taken a firm stance, fining the company £60,000 for failing to ensure effective measures to prevent access to the dangerous moving parts of the laminating machine during cleaning operations. This is not the first time the company has faced such consequences; in November 2025, they were fined £277,500 after an employee died when he became trapped in an unguarded machine.
Insp Zach Morris, from the HSE, emphasized the preventable nature of the incident, stating that the company's failure to provide a fixed guard to prevent access to the in-running nip point between the rollers was the primary cause. The investigation revealed that the company's risk assessment and safe system of work were inadequate, further underscoring the negligence.
The incident involved a laminator operative and shift supervisor who was injured while cleaning the machine using rags after a production run had finished. A rag became caught between the in-running rollers, pulling their left hand into the nip point and causing severe injury. The immediate activation of the emergency stop by a colleague allowed the worker to free their hand, but not before they had spent four nights in hospital, undergoing two operations and requiring physiotherapy.
This case serves as a stark reminder that machinery design and maintenance must prioritize worker safety. The HSE's message is clear: dutyholders should not focus solely on normal machine operation but must also consider activities like cleaning, maintenance, and repair, where workers may be exposed to dangerous parts of machinery that are inaccessible during normal operations.
The fine and the HSE's statement send a strong message that such incidents will not be tolerated and that companies must take responsibility for ensuring the safety of their workers. This incident also underscores the importance of comprehensive risk assessments and the implementation of effective safety measures to prevent access to dangerous machinery parts during all phases of operation.
