Worker Injures Hand on Shortbread and Cookies Equipment

Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating an incident last week at the Walkers Shortbread factory in Elgin, Scotland that left a worker injured after his hand became trapped in equipment used to produce shortbread and cookies, the Aberdeen Press & Journal reported Tuesday.

The worker, identified by the newspaper as Russell Hunt, was cleaning the machinery when his hand became trapped. First responders were called to the scene at about 8:35 p.m. and worked for over an hour to extract the employee, cutting the equipment apart in the process.

Nicky Walker, production director at the plant, told the Press & Journal that the equipment is “industry standard” and has never experienced a malfunction in the many years it has been used.

“This equipment is used on a daily basis, so this incident is unusual for us,” said Walker. “Now, we are trying to see if we can improve it to make sure nothing like this happens again.”

Hunt was freed by crews and transported to an area hospital. He declined to comment on the matter when questioned recently by the Press & Journal.

The report did not identify the type of equipment involved.

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