A recycling company in Nantwich has been fined after a 24 year old worker was seriously injured when he was dragged into machinery.

Chester Crown Court heard how a worker for Nick Brookes Recycling Limited was dragged into the unguarded conveyor resulting in his right arm having to be amputated up to his shoulder.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 8 August 2013 found the conveyor belt was in extremely poor condition and access to the belt was possible as it was unguarded.

The employee was working on an ‘infeed conveyor’ which transfers waste brought by skip wagons onto a picking line.

The court heard how the conveyor was jamming frequently in the run up to the incident and there was a lack of information, instruction, training and supervision provided by the company to it employees.

Nick Brookes Recycling Limited, of Green Lane, Wardle, Nantwich, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £13,000