Two more companies fined after employees have their fingers cut off by circular saws

Two companies have been found guilty of breaching Health and Safety regulations after unrelated incidents lead to a worker in each company receiving severe injuries. The shocking yet easily preventable incidents have again highlighted the importance of having adequate guards and appropriate training provisions in place.

The first incident saw a Bolton pallet manufacturer convicted for health and safety offences after a 27-year-old factory worker lost three fingers on his left hand using a rotating saw. The worker had been holding a large piece of wood while his colleague cut through it, and his hand became caught on the rotating blade. An investigation by HSE investigation found there was no guard on the saw and the worker had not received training on how to use it.

When an HSE inspector visited the site, she immediately issued two Prohibition Notices preventing that saw and another similar saw from being used until guards had been put in place.
The company, Frank Hill Ltd went into liquidation on 28 July 2011 and was fined £2 with no costs during a sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court on 30 April 2012.

Speaking after the hearing, Sarah Taylor, the investigating inspector at HSE, said:
"Two basic health and safety errors by Frank Hill Ltd led to a young factory worker losing three fingers. The company should have ensured guards were in place on all its circular saws, and shouldn't have allowed any employees to work on the machines without training."

In the second incident, a 42-year-old worker from Stoke on Trent, severed his finger whilst using a circular bench saw.

An investigation found that the top guard on the saw had not been adjusted correctly, the required 'push stick' protection device was not attached to the machinery, and the employee had not been given sufficient training to operate the saw.

Stafford Magistrates' Court heard on Wednesday, 9 May, that the victim was off work for several months as a result of the incident, and that his day to day life has also been adversely affected.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching section Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), and was fined £5,000 by the court, in addition to having to pay full costs of £2,309.

BWF Members are reminded that having a Health and Safety Policy, completing risk assessments, and having a fully qualified first aider is a legal requirement for most joinery companies. You 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. The PUWER Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) can be found here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l22.htm You can also get your Health and Safety audited through the BWF's Total Support Services with reduced rates for BWF members.

Non-compliance with Health and Safety legislation will soon become 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.

Visit BWF Members’ Day on 24th May for our Health and Safety Clinic and Workshop F: An Inspector Calls, where a representative from HSE will explain what an Inspector looks for during an inspection, including why they inspect, their approach to inspection, their stance on enforcement and their current priorities, which has a firm focus on the woodworking industry.