A PLASTIC bag manufacturer has been fined £20,000 for continuing to use a machine health and safety bosses had banned.
Koverplast Ltd of Brookhouse Lane, Blackburn, used the extruder machine, which had an unguarded drive belt, after a health and safety inspector issued a prohibition notice on it.
The firm pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the notice and Blackburn magistrates imposed the highest fine in their power.
After the case, the Health and Safety Executive warned companies to take prohibition notices seriously.
"They are legally enforceable instructions which require improvements to health and safety procedures," said inspector Warren Pennington.
"Employers must recognise that they are backed by the full weight of the law and that penalties can be severe."
In addition to the fine, Koverplast was ordered to pay £304 costs.
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