Workers Exposed To Flour Dust And Electrocution Risk

The directors of a bakery in Bedfordshire have received a fine of £5,500 after their staff were put at risk of electrocution at work and exposure to flour dust.

DG Bakery Ltd directors Genaro Saiano and Dejan Durkin faced health and safety charges at Bedford and Mid-Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court after a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector discovered exposed wires on the bread conveyor belt.

Following the inspection on January 13, 2009, the bakery, based in Harrowden Road, Bedford, was issued with prohibition notices and the directors were ordered to stop using the machinery until the problem was resolved.

At court, the two directors admitted breaching Regulation 4(2) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 in relation to the exposed wires and Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in relation to the risk assessment.

Mr Saiano, of Scotchbrook Road, Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £500 costs. Mr Durkin, of Blackburn Close, Shortstown, Bedfordshire, was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £500 costs.

HSE inspector Emma Rowlands said: "It is simply unacceptable to operate machinery with live wires exposed - someone could have been killed or suffered a serious injury. The danger of electrocution is well known and advice had already been given to the bakery in 2000 regarding electrical safety.

"The directors also failed to comply with an improvement notice, requiring them to carry out an important risk assessment."

Copyright © Press Association 2010

David Urpeth from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: “I hope that this fine acts as a deterrent and employers use their best efforts to comply with health and safety legislation.  Failure to do so can and often does lead to a work accident.

“In this case, it is clear that the employers lack of care exposed workers to the risk of electrocution at work.”