Fish firm fined £245,000 for safety breach after worker pulled into machine

A fish processing firm has been fined £245,000 after a worker was dragged into a machine in Aberdeenshire.

The 30-year-old man was trying to free a jammed box at Lunar Freezing and Cold Storage in Peterhead when his right arm was pulled into the mechanism.

He suffered a fractured jaw and injuries to his chest and arm, and needed surgery.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident in August last year found a safety guard had been removed during maintenance two weeks earlier and was not replaced.

The company, which pleaded guilty to health and safety offences at Peterhead Sheriff Court, has been contacted for comment.

The incident happened on 19 August 2025 after the worker entered the production line to clear a jammed box without first isolating the power.

He climbed onto the conveyor and pressed down the lid of the box to release the jam, but the machine then restarted and he was pulled by his arm into the mechanism until his head made contact with moving parts.

A colleague, hearing his shouts for help, shut down the machine but the worker was found to have suffered a fractured jaw as well as arm and chest injuries.

He needed surgery to insert metal plates into his jaw and spent three days in hospital but made a full recovery and returned to work about six weeks later.

An investigation by the HSE found that a section of fixed guarding next to the production line had been removed during maintenance about two weeks before the incident and had not been put back.

Without the guard, workers were able to access the production line without the power being isolated.

Normally, they would have to pass through an interlocked gate which would have switched off the machinery as soon as the gate was opened.

Maintenance staff told HSE investigators they had noticed the guard was missing and had seen employees using the gap, but it was not reinstated.

The weekly inspection checklist used by the in-house maintenance team did not include checking the integrity of non-electrical fixed guarding.

HSE inspector Nicky Smith said: "This was a wholly preventable incident which left a worker seriously injured.

"A missing guard and an unchecked gap left the way open for a worker to be dragged into a machine.

"Guards must be kept in place, and checks must cover every guard, not just the electrical ones."

In a statement via law firm Digby Brown, the injured victim said: "I am relieved the Crown has held my employer accountable for the safety failures that led to my injuries.

"The substantial fine issued by the court reflects the seriousness of what happened. I hope this verdict serves as a clear reminder to all employers that worker safety must always come first.

"My focus remains on my ongoing recovery and finalising the remaining legal matters surrounding this incident."