A bottle-top manufacturer was fined today after an employee's finger was mangled in a printing press.
United Closures and Plastics, part of the international Guala Closures Group, admitted safety failings that led to the right index finger of engineer Stuart Rodger, an employee at its plant in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire for 38 years, being drawn into an "in-running nip" between two inking rollers on the press.
Falkirk Sheriff Court heard the accident happened about 10.30 am on October 14th, 2017.
Mr Rodger, 57, was checking the ink by touching the rollers, when they began to turn.
His finger was caught, causing a fracture and laceration, before another employee turned the machine off.
He had seven weeks off work, and had to attend a course of physiotherapy, paid for by the firm. Now retired, he still suffers from impaired sensation.
United Closures and Plastics, based in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, pleaded guilty to failing to have in place effective measures to prevent access to the rollers on the machine, which prints bottle tops for Smirnoff Vodka and Baileys Irish Cream liqueur.
It admitted that as a consequence Mr Rodger suffered severe injury and permanent impairment.
The firm's counsel, John Scullion QC, said the machine involved did have guards.
He said: "There was a system in place, but it wasn't sufficiently adhered to on this occasion.
Sheriff William Gilchist fined the firm £20,000.
