A cleaner at a Fife vegetable factory was choked unconscious after his hood got caught in a carrot machine.
Remigiosz Krzystof Cyrek was dragged into the machine he was power-hosing at Kettle Produce’s Orkie plant, near Freuchie.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard the rollers on a conveyor belt had not been switched off as Mr Cyrek cleaned the device in June 2018.
Mr Cyrek survived the ordeal but Kettle Produce — which has an annual turnover of more than £150 million — faces a hefty fine after admitting breaching health and safety laws.
The Polish national was off work for six months following the incident.
Rescued from machinery
Fiscal depute Gail Adair told the court: “Mr Cyrek was pressure washing the machine, which was running at the time.
“The driven roller was moving.
“While underneath the machine, the hood of Mr Cyrek’s waterproof jacket got caught, trapping him in the machine.”
A colleague found Mr Cyrek unconscious and promptly switched off the machine.
Paramedics were called and wanted to take Mr Cyrek to Glenrothes for treatment but he refused over concerns it was “too far” from his home.
He was later taken to Ninewells by a friend, the court heard.
Mr Cyrek suffered bruising to his neck and a loss of sensation in his finger tips.
Company’s ‘deep regret’
Defence advocate Barry Smith KC, representing Kettle Produce, said: “I make it clear from the outset all of those at Kettle regret that this incident occurred to Mr Cyrek.
“He was a valued employee who did return to work for the company.
“The company operations director is in court.
“It shows the regard and seriousness with which the company sees this incident.
“The company appears before the court with no previous convictions.
“It accepts there was a failure to ensure a safe system of work was not followed in this incident.
“The relevant cleaning instruction cards clearly say the power should have been switched off before (it was cleaned).
“It is a matter of deep regret these cleaning instructions were not universally understood.”
The charges
Kettle Produce Ltd admitted failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees there by providing a safe system of work for them, that Remigiosz Krzystof Cyrek was engaged in cleaning a machine which remained connected to power when it should have been isolated, and the hood of his jacket became entangled in a moving, power-driven roller, causing it to tighten around his neck whereby he lost consciousness – all to his injury.
Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown deferred sentence for consideration until November 24.
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