Timber firm fined £9k after amputation

Grantham Magistrates' Court heard last week that the 23-year-old was helping to clear a blockage on a woodworking machine when the incident happened on July 15 last year.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found two of the machine's guards had been removed. The machine operator had lifted the main guard to clear the blockage, while a fixed guard on one of the machine's six cutting heads had been removed to make cleaning easier.

However, the machine was still under power so when the agency worker reached in, his left hand came into contact with one of the moving cutting heads. The top of his middle finger had to be amputated. He also suffered severe lacerations to two other fingers and has only partial movement in these and his middle finger.

In addition to the fine, Select Timber Products was ordered to pay £1,193 in costs after pleading guilty to three breaches of the Provision and Use of Work Euipment Regulations 1998.

HSE inspector Neil Ward said around 40 similar accidents were reported to HSE every year.

"Nearly all result in amputation injuries and most, including this one, could have been prevented if the cutters had come to rest before operators approached them," he said.

Mr Ward added that neither the machine operator nor the injured man had been trained to a suitable standard by Select Timber Products.

"Workers should not have been clearing blockages with any of the cutters turning and the fixed guard should never have been removed from one of the heads," he said.