A Merseyside animal-feed manufacturer has been fined £160,000 after an investigation found it allowed workers access to dangerous machinery for years, leading to an engineer suffering severe, life-changing injuries.

Factory Services UK Limited was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on 8 September 2026 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was also ordered to pay £4,728 in costs.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the incident occurred during a nightshift on 18 March 2025 at the firm's site on Moorgate Road, Deacon Park, on the Knowsley Industrial Park (L33 7RX). Maintenance engineer Daniel Slinger was asked to look at an issue on a conveyor and reached through a hole in the casing to clear material while the machine was running. His arm was pulled into the moving mechanism.

There was no guard in place and no emergency stop button in the area. Mr Slinger was working alone, with nobody nearby to see or hear the accident. He repeatedly waved at a CCTV camera in the hope of being spotted, but nobody monitoring the system came to his aid. After being trapped for approximately 40 seconds, he managed to free his arm.

Mr Slinger suffered catastrophic injuries, including a fracture and extensive degloving to his forearm and hand. He required multiple operations and blood transfusions, remains unable to return to work, and continues to receive specialist treatment.

The HSE’s investigation found that the hole had been cut into the casing years earlier to clear blockages while running, and a second conveyor on site had a similar unauthorised access point. Despite routine inspections, audits, and management walkarounds, the modifications were never identified or corrected, contrary to company rules requiring machines to be isolated before maintenance.

Following the hearing, HSE Inspector Ian Betley said: "Mr Slinger suffered devastating and life-altering injuries as a result of this preventable incident. Had the correct protections been in place he would not have been exposed to the dangerous parts of a running conveyor through a hole cut into the machine. Factory Services UK Limited had risk assessments and safe systems of work, but they were not followed or enforced."

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Alan Hughes. The company has since fitted a fixed mesh guard and installed an emergency stop button at the machine. I will continue to track this case as Mr Slinger's recovery progresses.