Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

McCain Foods fined £700k after factory worker loses fingers

McCain Foods fined £700k after factory worker loses fingers

Frozen food firm McCain has been fined £700,000 after a worker lost two fingers in an incident at one of its factories. In addition to the fine, the company was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170 and costs of £6,508.51.

Tom Matthews, from Grantham in Lincolnshire, was cleaning batter machinery when his hand was drawn into a chute at the company's Easton site. The 33-year-old said recovery from his injury had been an "ongoing struggle", BBC reported.


McCain Foods Ltd admitted breaching a health and safety regulation at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (22).

A spokesperson for McCain said the firm took the health and safety of its staff "extremely seriously" and it had made improvements to machinery safety measures at its five sites.

The company, which has its UK head office in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, is best known for its frozen chips.

The court heard that Matthews had been working a night shift on 2 September 2019 when he attempted to remove a piece of string dangling from the chute. His left hand came into contact with the machine's rotary valve and his index and middle fingers were later amputated.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the company had not provided an appropriate guard on the machinery and had not carried out an adequate risk assessment. The HSE also said staff had not had adequate training or supervision.

Matthews now works in a health and safety team at a different company.

"The last four years have been hard and an ongoing struggle both physically and mentally. I still have circulation problems in my left hand following the incident that should never have happened," Matthews told BBC, adding that he wanted to use his story "as an example to others and make sure something like this doesn't happen again".

HSE inspector Muir Finlay said the incident "could so easily have been avoided had the company taken simple steps to guard dangerous parts of machinery and provide employees with suitable training and supervision".

McCain Foods Ltd pleaded guilty to two offences of contravening a health and safety regulation.

A spokesperson for McCain said, "Since the incident in 2019, we have further enhanced our machinery safety measures, and across our six UK sites we have had zero employee safety incidents over the past 12 months.

"We sincerely regret this incident and extend our apologies to Tom Matthews and his family."

More for you

Gloucestershire Trading Standards underage test purchase operation

Products containing corrosive substances sold to minors by Gloucestershire shops

Photo: Gloucestershire County Council

Eight out of 10 Gloucestershire shops found selling corrosives to minors

An undercover operation by Gloucestershire Trading Standards has found most shops in the county selling products containing corrosive substances to underage buyers.

In total, 10 stores were visited and eight made sales to underage volunteers.

Keep ReadingShow less
Paul Bacon appointed as NewstrAid Operations Manager replacing Tom Rodger

Paul Bacon joins NewstrAid as Operations Manager

NewstrAid appoints Paul Bacon as new Operations Manager

Industry charity, NewstrAid, has announced the appointment of Paul Bacon to the role of Operations Manager.

Paul will join the NewstrAid team from 17 March and will take over from Tom Rodger, who is retiring at the end of the month.

Keep ReadingShow less
 ATM machine
Brits pull out nearly £80bn from LINK ATMs in 2024
Photo: iStock

Uneven transition: Where cash still clings on in Britain

The UK’s transition away from cash continues to accelerate, nearly five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released today by LINK, the UK's cash access and ATM network.

While the trend towards a low-cash society is clear, the pace of this shift varies significantly across the country, indicating a complex and evolving payment landscape.

Keep ReadingShow less
Warning raised around slush drinks

slush drinks

iStock image

Warning raised against 'poor transparency' around slush drinks

Warnings have been issued against slush ice drinks by medical researchers, saying that poor transparency around slush ice drink glycerol concentration makes estimating a safe dose tricky.

Public health advice on the safe consumption of glycerol-containing slush ice drinks, also known as slushees, may need revising, stated medical researchers after carrying out a detailed review of the medical notes of 21 children who became acutely unwell shortly after drinking one of these products.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rising crime is devastating the Scottish convenience sector.

SGF Crime Report & Safer Business Guide

Photo: iStock

Crime devastating Scottish convenience sector: SGF

Retail crime is on the rise and the impact on staff, businesses and communities can be overwhelming, shows a Scottish retail industry's report released today (13), prompting calls from retailers for urgent support.

Figures published in the SGF Crime Report & Safer Business Guide 2024/25, reveal the appalling escalation in retail crime in recent years is only getting worse, while the sector continues to call for urgent action from government.

Keep ReadingShow less