Confectionery giant Mars Wrigley fined after workers fall into vat of chocolate

The factory behind the confectionary of Mars Wrigley saw two workers almost drown from falling into a filled chocolate tank.
The sweet treat maker Mars Wrigley that makes chocolate and chewing gum such as Maltesers. Credit: PA

By ITV News' Sarika Gandhi

Confectionery giant Mars Wrigley has been fined after two workers fell into a vat of chocolate at a factory in Pennsylvania last year.

The factory based in Elizabethtown was reportedly preparing a batch of ingredients for Galaxy chocolate bars in the UK before the pair of workers became submerged while carrying out general maintenance work.

The M&M and Mars manufacturer was fined $14,500 (£11,900) by work safety watchdog Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who said the workers were not authorised to work in tanks and weren't trained on the proper safety procedures for the equipment.

Emergency services were able to free the pair from the chocolate vessel by cutting a hole in the bottom of the container.

Both were taken to hospital, one via helicopter. It's thought they weren't injured. A company representative told reporters last week that the safety of workers and outside contractors "is a top priority for our business."

"As always, we appreciate OSHA’s collaborative approach to working with us to conduct the after-action review," the representative said.

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