A company in Deurne has to pay a fine of 27,000 euros after a cleaning lady lost part of her fingertip during her work. The court decided on Friday.
In May 2020, the woman worked as a temporary worker at the company in Deurne that makes sauces, marinades and dressings. While cleaning a tank, she discovered that a tube was clogged with tomato sauce.
She tried to get the sauce out of the tube with her finger. At that moment, a rotating part of the device cut off the tip of her finger. She lost an inch from her index finger.
Law violated
The Labor Inspectorate launched an investigation into the accident. It turned out that the company had violated the Working Conditions Act. She therefore imposed a fine of 27,000 euros on the company.
The company felt that the workplace was safe enough. According to the company, the woman herself had made the mistake of not cleaning the device properly.
Careless
According to the judge, the Working Conditions Act states that the company must record how devices must be cleaned. The company has not done that well enough, the judge ruled. The woman was at most careless.
In addition to the fine, the company also received a warning. If an industrial accident happens again, the company must be shut down. The company can still appeal the ruling.