Worker suffers partial finger amputation; Film & Foil Solutions fined £20K for machinery safety failure
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has fined Film & Foil Solutions Ltd £20,000 after a worker sustained a serious injury at the company’s site on Haydock Industrial Estate in St. Helens. On December 4, 2023, the worker was using a machine that converts and folds plastic film when he attempted to untangle material by hand. His right index finger made contact with a rotating shaft and became entangled, leading to surgery the next day to amputate part of the finger.
An investigation by HSE found that Film & Foil Solutions Ltd had failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment, did not provide appropriate guarding for the machinery, and lacked adequate safety systems and training for machine operators. The company, located on North Florida Road, Haydock Industrial Estate, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was ordered to pay £2,932 in costs in addition to the fine at Sefton Magistrates’ Court on 15 May 2025.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, Sam Eves, HSE inspector, said, “This incident could so easily have been avoided had the company taken simple steps to guard dangerous parts of machinery and implement safe working practices. Companies and individuals should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
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About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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