Processing continues after worker’s f ingers degloved

A Hutt company used an airgun to clean a machine in which a worker’s hand had been seriously injured, then continued to use it to make dumplings and noodles.

The accident, which degloved two of a worker’s fingers, broke bones and inflicted multiple cuts, was not reported to WorkSafe before the machine was cleaned and put back to work.

Hutt Valley District Court judge Arthur Tompkins heard the case involving Oriental Cuisine Ltd. It pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker so that they were exposed to a risk of serious injury.

Last week, the judge fined the company $260,000 and ordered reparations of $40,568 to be paid to the worker.

Oriental Cuisine gave the employee a lump sum of $2000 soon after the accident. The worker’s hand was drawn into a machine used to make pastry in July 2018.

Five surgeries were needed and up to two years of physiotherapy to treat the injury.

The judge said it was a particularly harrowing experience. The worker suffered ongoing stress and was out of work for 20 months.

Oriental Cuisine is a Petonebased business that makes frozen dumplings, wontons, wrappers, pastries and noodles.

The machine needed a guard and the investigation found multiple unguarded rollers and exposed nip points on it.

The machine was without adequate safety guards; the company had failed to identify risks and failed to have a safety system in place for the machine.

WorkSafe’s chief inspector, Steve Kelly, said there were too many workers whose safety was compromised by having to operate inadequately guarded machinery. It was a legal requirement and the easiest way to ensure workers’ safety.

The charge had a maximum fine under the law of $1.5 million.

Oriental Cuisine had insurance to cover the reparation payment but the judge said he hadn’t been told if it could pay the fine or not. The company had not disclosed its cashflow, liabilities or assets.