A Bradford firm has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 after a worker’s finger was severed by the blade of a spice-mixing machine.

Arcadia Food Industries Ltd admitted failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machinery, causing the injury to Andrzej Wojek, on October 6, last year.

Company owner Mirza Baig, 42, appeared at Bradford Magistrates’ Court today on behalf of Arcadia, which is based in Pawson Street, Laisterdyke.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecutor Neil Hunter told the court Mr Wojek had suffered a “horrible and debilitating injury”. He said Mr Wojek had been checking a hatch on the mixer was closed and had pushed aside a sleeve covering the rotating paddles, and reached inside.

One of his fingers was lost and another was badly cut.

The court heard an HSE inspector had already warned Arcadia about insufficient guarding on equipment in an earlier inspection. After the accident Arcadia reviewed its machines and the protective sleeve was bolted down.

Bob Davies, for the firm, said the company was only “marginally below” the relevant safety standard. It had called in independent safety experts who had deemed the machinery to be in a satisfactory condition.

Chairman of the magistrates’ bench Andrew McClaughlin said: “We accept that Arcadia Food Industries Ltd have pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. We also note that when turned on the machine was noisy and accept, at such close proximity, Mr Wojek would be aware it was operating.”

Ordering Arcadia to pay a £4,000 fine, £3,080 costs and a £15 victim surcharge, he said: “We appreciate the speed of actions taken by the company to improve aspects of safety around this machine and also the level of co-operation shown to the authorities. However we are considering a guilty plea.”

After the hearing Mr Hunter, who is also a HSE inspector, said: “Fitting suitable guards is not costly, time consuming or difficult and had they been in place this incident would not have occurred.”