Achieving HSE Compliance & Eliminating Finger Trapping on a Fish Brining Line

Client: Seafood Processing Facility
Application: High-Corrosion Fish Brining Line
Product Installed: HS700B-N POM (Acetal) Modular Belting with Integrated Flights

The Challenge

The client was utilizing traditional metal mesh belts on their fish brining line. During a routine safety inspection, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) advised that the existing setup was no longer acceptable. The large gaps in the metal mesh posed a severe finger-trapping hazard for operators working near the line.

The client faced an urgent compliance issue: they needed to eliminate the safety hazard immediately, but they could not use a solid belt because the application required a high volume of liquid brine to drain away freely during processing.

The Solution

Star Modular Belting stepped in to re-engineer the line, replacing the hazardous metal mesh with a safe, fully compliant plastic modular solution.

We selected and customized our HS700B-N POM (Acetal) belting for the job:

• Safety & Drainage Combined: The HS700B-N features an open-mesh style design that allows the brining liquid to flow and drain perfectly, yet the grid geometry is engineered to be entirely tight enough to prevent finger trapping.
• Custom Flight Engineering: To keep the fish moving efficiently through the brining process, we integrated custom flights (cleats) into the belt.
• Precision Sprocket Retrofitting: Because plastic modular belts have a different pitch and thickness than old metal mesh, we calculated and supplied the exact sprocket sizes and placements required to ensure the new system timed perfectly and ran seamlessly on the existing conveyor frame.

The Result

The fish processing line was successfully brought up to full HSE compliance with zero safety objections. The finger-trapping risk was entirely eliminated, providing a safe working environment for the factory floor staff. Furthermore, switching from metal to high-grade POM plastic improved hygiene, eliminated the risk of metal-on-metal wear flakes, and maintained the exact drainage levels required for a perfect brine.