Employee loses tips of fingers in accident

Employers have been warned they must provide adequate training for work on machinery by the Health and Safety Executive  - 24th July 2008

 

Companies have been warned that they must provide adequate training on how to use machinery following a workplace accident in which an employee suffered a partial amputation of his index finger and thumb.

The employee had the accident at work on 4th July 2007 whilst operating a timber saw on which he was not adequately trained, which may have contributed to him sustaining the injuries. This led the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into issuing the warning to employers about giving the correct health and safety training to employees, and bringing prosecution against his employer.

His company, Just Frames Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, which states that “every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for the purposes of health and safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using work equipment, any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken”. They were fined £3,500 and ordered to pay further costs of £3,797.

An HSE Inspector said: “This incident could have been avoided if the company had trained its staff to use woodworking machinery. Employers must ensure that woodworking machine operators are properly trained and that they are made fully aware of the risks associated with such machinery.”