Woman loses finger in slicer, firm fined

FINED: Carterton meat processing business Premier Beehive Ltd has been fined and ordered to pay reparation to an employee who crushed and lost a finger damaged while cleaning a meat-slicing machine last year. PHOTO/FILE

A reputable Carterton meat processing company has been heavily fined for failing to ensure the safety of an employee who lost a finger in a "traumatic and painful" workplace accident after her hand was crushed in a meat-slicing machine she was cleaning.

Premier Beehive Ltd pleaded guilty to the one charge and was fined $20,000 and ordered to pay $6000 reparation to its employee when the case was called before Judge Bruce Davidson in Masterton District Court yesterday.

The firm, which employs about 200 people, was facing a maximum fine of $250,000.

The experienced female staff member, Irene Parker, suffered crushing injuries to two fingers on her right hand, resulting in the amputation of her ring finger, while cleaning the machine in September last year when a grooved feed-roller on the slicing machine pulled her hand to the edge of the machine. She had to use her other hand to access the control panel to turn off the in-feed roller as her hand was caught.

The "valued" employee has since recovered and has returned to work.

Judge Davidson said the company had taken a responsible attitude towards workplace health and safety but there was an obvious hazard with the operation of the machine's rollers during cleaning. They should have ensured Mrs Parker and other staff were protected when sanitising the machine.

Defence lawyer Bronwyn Heenan said the procedures in place for the computerised machine at the time were appropriate but management had since found out from the German manufacturer there was a safer way to operate the machine: with another code which stopped the rollers from moving during cleaning.

Staff had been sent to Germany to find out more about the hi-tech machine.

Judge Davidson said there were no aggravating features to the case and management's "benevolent and responsible attitude" towards the accident and Mrs Parker during her recovery was exemplary. They had shown remorse, he said.

"It is clear from all I have read [Premier Beehive] have taken a responsible attitude to workplace safety," he said.

Premier Beehive managing director John Kippenberger said they were committed to providing a safe workplace with employee safety "absolutely paramount" as the "vibrant" business moved forward.

"Our company takes employee safety and welfare very seriously and we deeply regret that this incident occurred," he said.