Snickers maker fined after workers fall into vat of chocolate

Snickers and M&M’s maker Mars Wrigley has been fined by US safety regulators after two workers at one of its factories fell into a vat of chocolate.

The confectionary factory in Pennsylvania was fined more than $14,500 (£12,000) by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) over the incident in June last year.

Officials said two contractors fell into the partially filled chocolate tank while carrying out maintenance work.

More than two dozen firefighters were called to the scene and freed the workers by cutting a hole in the bottom of the tank.

Both were taken to hospital, with one transported by helicopter.

The OSHA said the workers were not authorised to work in the tanks and had not been trained on the proper safety procedures for the equipment. The regulator branded the incident “serious”.

The contractors found themselves in a sticky situation while working on a batching tank, which is used to mix ingredients for chocolate.

The tank was filled waist-high with chocolate to make Dove, a brand sold in the US that is labelled Galaxy in the UK and elsewhere.

The factory in Elizabethtown also produces chocolate for M&Ms. Mars Wrigley, which was formed following a merger of two confectionery giants in 2008, also makes Maltesers, Snickers and Twix among other sweet treats.

A spokesman for the company said: “The safety of our associates 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.”