Baxters group fined £6k after admiting health and safety failings


Baxters food group has been fined £6000 after admitting health and safety failings that resulted in an employee losing full use of a hand.

Elgin Sheriff Court were told on Thursday that Kayode Ogundele was injured in an accident at the Baxters Fochabers plant where he was working on a packing section.

In the accident on March 19, 2013, Mr Ogundele suffered injuries when his hand was caught between a conveyor belt and a roller when working on the Fray Bentos line at the factory.  A colleague operating a forklift heard Mr Ogundele’s cries for help and managed remove the roller with a spanner.

The court was told that Mr Ogundele’s was unable to perform everyday tasks without help from his wife, and is unable to place his hand on flat surfaces or hold items in the hand for any period of time.

After hearing evidence Sheriff James Hendry said that Baxters clearly “take health and safety seriously”, and had taken urgent steps to address the issues that the accident had highlighted.

However, he added that he had to recognise the health and safety act was there for the protection of employees.