Worker left with amputated finger and cut hand

Date:

25 June 2010

Release No:

WM149/10

A Stourbridge carpentry company has today [Friday] been fined £3,000 after an employee suffered serious injuries to his hand while operating an unguarded machine.

David Bell, 59, of Wolverhampton was employed by Prospect Joinery Limited and worked making wooden beading by hand-feeding lengths of wood into a machine.

On 15 June 2009, as Mr Bell was feeding wood into the machine, his hand became caught. The machine amputated his right hand index finger, broke his middle finger and left him with severe cuts to his other fingers.

Mr Bell also suffered associated nerve and tendon damage to his hand, which still affects his daily activities - small tasks like doing up a shirt button cause difficultly because of the numbness and constant pain. He was unable to return to work following the incident and is currently unemployed.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Prospect Joinery Limited, which is based at Old Wharf Road, Stourbridge. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Stourbridge and Halesowen Magistrates court. As well as the fine, it was also ordered to pay £1,000 costs.

Following the hearing, HSE inspector John Glynn said: "Prospect Joinery Ltd failed in its role to protect its workers by not properly guarding this machine. Mr Bell should never have been placed in the position he was, and is now suffering long-term debilitating injuries as a consequence.

"The company should have also put in place a safe tooling arrangement, which would have helped to prevent the severity of Mr Bell's injuries.

"Employers must fully assess the dangers associated with their work. In this case, the risks associated with woodworking machinery are well known, and should have been adequately controlled."

Notes to editors

1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
2. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement.
3. Further information on using work equipment safely is available on our website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg229.htm

Press enquiries

Regional reporters should call the appropriate Regional News Network press office.

Issued by COI News & PR West Midlands