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Dorset dairy company fined after worker's arm crushed

A Dorset dairy has been prosecuted after an employee was injured when his arm was pulled into a slurry separator.

Andrew James Ray, 47, was cleaning the equipment at the dairy owned by M Hooper and Sons Ltd. in Winterborne Tomson on 2 January 2009.

Weymouth Magistrates' Court heard an unsafe system of work was used for cleaning the rollers of the slurry separator by using a hose and hand brush while the equipment was running. Mr Ray's left arm was subsequently pulled between two contra-rotating rollers, crushing his left hand and arm to the elbow.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), prosecuting, told the court the company was aware its employees were using this system to clean the machinery and that it could result in injury. The machine was equipped with a self-cleaning mechanism which was not working and was therefore being cleaned manually by the farm workers.

M Hooper & sons Ltd. of Winterbourne Zelston, Blandford, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety of Work et.c Act 1974, was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay £1,448 in costs.

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