A Wembley-based food company, Oriental Delight (UK) Limited, has been hit with a £150,000 fine after failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery. The company’s safety failings were uncovered during a routine inspection by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in October 2023.
The inspection revealed multiple issues with machinery guarding, a critical safety feature. Three machines were found to be unsafe due to interlocking safety devices being bypassed, and guards had been completely removed. Worryingly, this wasn’t the first time the company had been flagged by the HSE for similar breaches; prohibition notices were issued in both 2016 and 2019 for the same failures.
Despite previous enforcement actions, Oriental Delight (UK) Limited had continued to use the unsafe machines, ignoring the regulator’s advice. On 4 September 2024, the company appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, pleading guilty to three breaches of Regulation 11(1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Along with the hefty fine, the court ordered them to pay £3,020 in costs.
Following the court decision, HSE Inspector Marcus Pope commented: “This case sends out a clear message to the food manufacturing industry that HSE will not hesitate to prosecute when inspectors find serious health and safety failings, particularly when previous enforcement and advice has been provided.”
He added, “Once again we see how critical it is that all employers make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.”
The prosecution was led by HSE enforcement lawyer Arfaq Nabi, with support from HSE paralegal officer Imogen Isaac.
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