Line supervisor Lynda Jackson's hand became trapped when using cleaning paper to dry machine parts after the paper got caught between two glue rollers and her right hand was pulled into the machine.
The tips of two of her fingers were severed by the machine [correction: not "two of her fingers" as originally stated in this article, dated 5 January].
Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the company was fined £12,000, with costs of £4,971.45. However, managing director Chris Corrigan said the company could appeal the ruling.
"We are considering an appeal with our legal advisers following what we believe was a disproportionate fine for a minor injury to the tips of one of our employee's fingers," he said.
In a statement, HSE Inspector Julie Rayner said: "Lynda Jackson was failed by the company's lack of proper training, inadequate assessment of risks, an absence of safe working practices and preventing access to dangerous equipment.
"It is simply unacceptable that this lady should be injured at work as a consequence of her employer's negligence. I hope other employers take note of this case and review their own processes."
The investigation found that, although the company's stated policy was not to clean the gluing machine while its rollers were rotating, it was standard practice to ignore this.
Basildon Magistrates' Court was told staff were not given adequate training in how to clean the machine safely, and the guard it had been fitted with was not well enough maintained to prevent access to the rollers.
Jackson was off work for approximately two months but has been told the nerve damage she suffered to her fingers may be permanent.
