Mars Wrigley factory fined after two workers fall into chocolate vat

US labor safety authorities have fined a Pennsylvania factory after two workers fell into a container of chocolate and had to be rescued.

The Mars Wrigley factory in the city of Elizabethtown has been fined more than $14,500 (£12,000) by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The workers were contractors who did not work full-time for the factory.

The incident happened in June 2022. To get them out, a hole had to be cut in the bottom of the partially full tank.

More than two dozen rescuers were on the scene, according to local reports, and one worker was taken to hospital by helicopter.

The regulator’s report described the incident as “serious”. It says workers were hired to clean tanks and did not receive proper safety training.

It found workers falling into a batch tank — a tank used to mix ingredients — for Dove chocolate, a brand sold in the United States. In the UK and elsewhere, Dove is sold as the Galaxy.

A Mars Wrigley representative welcomed the findings of Osha’s investigation.

“The safety of our employees and external contractors is a top priority for our company,” said the spokesman.

“As always, we appreciate Osha’s collaborative approach of working with us to conduct the after-action review.”