Sweet firm fined after man dies in machine

BRITAIN'S biggest independent confectionery firm has been fined £300,000 after a worker was crushed to death in one of its sweet-making machines, health and safety watchdogs said.

Czech-born Martin Pejril was trying to unblock the machine when it suddenly re-started.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The 33-year-old was working for Tangerine Confectionery at its factory in Poole, Dorset, on 20 February 2008 when the accident happened.

Tangerine, the UK's largest independent confectionery company, manufactures sweets such as Sherbet Dip Dabs, Mojos and Black Jacks.

The firm, whose head office is in Blackpool, Lancashire, was found guilty of two breaches of health and safety law by failing to ensure the safety at work of its employees and failing to make sufficient risk assessments.

The company appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing yesterday.

It was fined 150,000 on each of the two safety breaches and ordered to pay legal costs of 72,901.

HSE Inspector Simon Jones said: "This tragic case highlights the need to ensure that machines are safely isolated before any maintenance takes place so they cannot unexpectedly start up.

"Simply pressing a stop button does not adequately isolate a machine.

"If the machine in this case had been properly isolated from the electrical power source before Mr Pejril attempted to clear the blockage, this accident would never have happened.

"A proper risk assessment would have highlighted the dangers of entrapment."