A North West company that manufactures soft furnishings has been fined after an employee sustained serious hand injuries whilst working on an automatic duvet rolling machine.
Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that on 13 November 2018, two employees of Azura Soft Furnishings (UK) Limited had been instructed to sew and pack duvets by the company’s managing director, Mr Tariq Majid. The machine was being trialled by the company.
One of the employees using the machine was not authorised to operate it or trained in its use. Whilst the employee was using the machine to pack the duvets, he was able to reach into the machine through a gap in the door guard, in order to adjust the duvet being rolled. As he did so he made contact with moving parts inside, sustaining injuries to his right hand, including severing part of his middle finger.