Nestle has been fined £800,000 after an employee was dragged into a roller mechanism on a conveyor machine making Rolos.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard how the maintenance technician was investigating a problem on the machine used to make the chocolate sweets.

While checking the machine, his sleeve was caught in a roller, which dragged his left arm into the machine, trapping it between the roller and a conveyor belt.

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A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the incident at Nestle's factory on Rowan Drive, Fawdon, Newcastle, found that the company had not properly assessed the risk created by the rollers under the conveyor belt and failed to guard the roller, which was a dangerous part.

It was foreseeable that employees would require access to this area and there was a clear risk of injury to employees coming into contact with this roller.

The company has previously been prosecuted following a similar incident at its Halifax factory.

Nestle UK Ltd of City Place, Gatwick, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £800,000, ordered to pay costs of £7776.50 and a victim surcharge of £190.

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After the hearing, HSE inspector William Gilroy said: “This incident could easily have been avoided had Nestle properly reviewed the safety measures on their plant and equipment to ensure that access to dangerous parts was prevented.

“Nestle were aware of this risk following a similar incident at their Halifax plant but failed to take appropriate action.”

The sweets giant is due to close its Fawdon site in 2023, with around 475 jobs going as production of beloved treats that have been made on Tyneside for decades is moved to plants in the Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, and West Yorkshire.

The company has been contacted for comment.

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