Mademoiselle Desserts Corby Limited has been fined £36,000 after a worker’s foot was broken by a mixer.

The worker was injured last April while moving a large mixer across Mademoiselle Desserts’ yard in Earlstrees Industrial Estate, Corby, Northampton Magistrates Court heard.

The mixer was on a pallet truck being pulled by another worker, while the injured person walked alongside and supported the load, which had not been secured. As they turned the pallet truck, both it and mixer tipped onto him, resulting in five broken bones in his foot.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found there was no risk assessment for this operation.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and was fined £36,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,371.80 and a victim surcharge of £170.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided had the operation been properly risk-assessed and simple control measures and safe working practices put in place,” said HSE inspector Michelle Morrison after the hearing. “Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate action against those that fall below the required standard.”

A spokesperson for Mademoiselle Desserts told British Baker: “The company pleaded guilty in this case as we acknowledge that there was no safe system in place for the moving of the machine at the time of the accident.

“We have worked hard since this incident took place to review and improve our safe systems of work across the business.”