29.10.2008

Fine Following Finger Loss

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned companies to protect employees from dangerous machinery and provide suitable training after Richard Howitt (37) lost two fingers and part of his thumb on a woodworking machine.

FA North (Carlton) Ltd was fined a total of £6,000 and ordered to pay £4,678 costs at Nottingham Magistrates' Court today after pleading guilty to breaching sections 4, 9(1) and 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

On 11 November 2006, employee Richard Howitt was using a woodworking machine known as a spindle moulder. As he pushed a piece of wood through the machine, it slipped and his hand went into the cutters resulting in the amputation of two fingers and the partial amputation of the thumb on his right hand.

Mr Howitt has had several operations and intensive physiotherapy since the incident and his treatment is still ongoing. He has not been able to return to work.

HSE Inspector for Nottinghamshire Frances Bailey said:-

"This was an entirely avoidable incident which resulted in Mr Howitt suffering a life changing injury to his hand. The machine should not have been used without the correct guarding to prevent access to the cutters, the correct cutters to minimise any injury and adequate training for the operators."

"Regulations required the old style cutters, used on this machine, to have been replaced by 2003 with a new style cutter, which is designed to minimise hand injuries whilst still being effective for cutting wood. This was not done."

"In addition the company had not given its workers adequate training to ensure they could use the machine safely. If they had received regular refresher training they would have known that this machine was unsafe."