Nestle Fined $918K and Other Food Industry News

Food and beverage firm Nestle is facing a fine of £800,000 (about $918,000) after a worker was injured by conveying equipment at its chocolate manufacturing site in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, a release issued by Great Britain’s occupational safety regulator, The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) announced.

A maintenance technician was pulled into the conveyor by a roller mechanism on Nov. 30, 2020, leaving him with life-changing injuries. South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was informed that the worker was examining an issue on the conveyor belt of a chocolate production machine when his sleeve became trapped in a roller and his arm was drawn into the machine.

An investigation conducted by HSE revealed that Nestle did not properly assess the risk created by the rollers under the conveyor belt and failed to guard the roller, a dangerous part. The company was previously charged with a similar violation at another facility in the UK.

Click further to read some other developments in the food and beverage industry that captured recent headlines.