Yorkshire firm fined over 'lax' attitude to safety after factory worker was crushed to death in tea bag production machine

A worker who was dragged into a machine and crushed to death at a fibre manufacturing factory died as a result of 'lax' attitudes to health and safety, a court heard.
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IFG Drake Ltd was ordered to pay a fine of £366,850 over the death of Javeed Ghaffar at the company's plant at Victoria Mills, Golcar, Huddersfield.

The Bradford-based firm pleaded guilty to an offence of failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees over the death of Mr Ghaffar on March 27, 2017.

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Leeds Crown Court heard the 51-year-old father-of-two suffered multiple injuries when he was dragged into a machine which manufactured fibres used in the production of tea bags.

Leeds Crown CourtLeeds Crown Court
Leeds Crown Court

Mr Ghaffar, who had been an employee at the company for around 11 years, was using a knife to clear a blockage in a stretch roller when he was suddenly dragged into it.

His colleagues tried to save him but he was pronounced dead by paramedics when they arrived at the scene.

A post-mortem revealed he had suffered multiple injuries including 26 rib fractures, a tear to his lung, a fractured pelvis and damage to his spine.

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Prosecutor Craig Hassall said the machine was used to make polypropylene fibres, which are used to reinforce tea bags so that they do not fall apart in hot water.

He said blockages in the machine needed to be removed quickly to prevent the production line having to be stopped.

Mr Hassall said it had become practice among staff, including managers, to reach around a safety gate and clear blockages with a knife.

From that position, employees were out of reach of an emergency stop bar.

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The court heard Mr Ghaffar had complained that he felt it was 'an accident waiting to happen'.

The Health and Safety Executive found that the company implemented new health and safety measures immediately after the accident.

The company has no previous convictions.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said: "My assessment of all the evidence is that the company's attitude to health and safety has been lax and the evidence reveals two things.

"Firstly, that a culture had been allowed to exist where health and safety was not being given proper attention.

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"Secondly, by the time of the accident, that culture had started to be addressed.

"But not enough had been done and it had not been done quickly enough."

The judge added that he had read statements which revealed a 'concerning attitude to health and safety'.

The judge continued: "The position had not arisen, I find, because of any desire by the company to cut costs.

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"It was simply that familiarity and the lack of previous incidents had led to a prevailing attitude of complacency and indeed resistance to change or suggestions being made by the outside health and safety consultant."

The judge said the company had co-operated in the prosecution and in implementing new health and safety measures.

The court heard that IFG Drake's turnover in the year ending June 2019 was £33.7m but it was now operating at a reduced capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company's predicted turnover for the year ending June 2021 is £23.4m.

Judge Stubbs gave the company five years to pay the fine.

It was also ordered to pay £23,993.41 in prosecution costs..

The judge added: "This fine is in no way setting the value of his life. It was priceless and the loss to his family is incalculable."