Company Fined Heavily After Worker’s Arm Punctured By Large Piece Of Wood

A hardwood floor company with Royal Warrants has been fined after a worker's arm was punctured by a large piece of wood. The employee, Mr Murdoch, was cutting walnut boards on a circular ripsaw at the workshop in Norwell when a 90 centimetre section broke off and punctured his arm.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the machine had no guards at the time of the incident, nor did it have a riving knife – a safety device at the back of the saw which pushes the two pieces of wood apart and prevents kickbacks.

During the hearing on 19th January, Nottingham magistrates were told that the machine had been used a day before the incident for a different process known as deep cutting which had seen the guard and riving knife removed. Neither had been replaced.

The Lincolnshire company, who are not BWF members, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £6,000 with £4,773 costs.
 

Following the hearing, HSE inspector Lorna Sherlock said, "This type of machine is wholly unsuitable for deep cutting as it cannot be carried out without first removing the guards and riving knife.
"Not only did the company fail in its duty to only use the machine for its intended purpose, it also failed in its duty to make sure it was fit for its correct purpose by re-attaching the guard and riving knife.

"Mr Murdoch was extremely fortunate not to have been more seriously injured. Thanks to the actions of the site first aider who insisted on leaving the wood in place until Mr Murdoch got to hospital, he has made a full recovery. It could have so easily been a different story."

BWF Members are reminded that having a fully qualified first aider is a legal requirement for most joinery companies and that they can obtain information on how to make their machines safer by logging in to the BWF website and using our Machine Safety Cards, phoning the BWF member-only helpline, or by viewing our Health and Safety Publications.

Non-compliance with Health and Safety legislation is becoming a costly matter, as under the HSE’s ‘fee for intervention’ scheme, costs would be recovered if, during an HSE inspection or investigation, a material breach of health and safety law is discovered. The HSE fees for the intervention have been set at £124 per hour and would apply up to the point where their intervention in supporting businesses in putting matters right has concluded. Full penalties are due to apply from April 6th 2012.