A timber company has appeared in court after an employee suffered serious injuries when his thumb came into contact with a saw blade.
Watford Timber Company Limited came before High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court in a case relating to Maceij Rudnicki.
The court heard that on February 13th, 2019, Rudnicki, was setting up the floor-mounted band resaw for a production run. His hand was drawn towards the blade with the power feed on.
The thumb on his right hand was severed when it made contact with an unguarded blade.
A HSE-led investigation found that the company had failed to take the machine out of use when the guard stopped working.
It did not have “adequate” arrangements in place to check and monitor their machines to ensure that guards and other protective devices remained in “good” working order.
Watford Timber Company Limited of Olds Approach, Tolpits Lane, Watford pleaded guilty to breaching:
- Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998;
- Regulation 5 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The judge ordered the company to pay a fine of £13,400 and costs of £5,358.05. The total amounts to £18,758.05 (over €21,000).
After the hearing, HSE inspector Nigel Fitzhugh, said:
“The incident could have been easily avoided had the company taken the machine out of use and repaired the guard as soon as it became inoperable.”
“Employers must ensure that machinery guarding is kept in good working order,” Fitzhugh concluded.
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QA Fish Ltd, Blacksness Pier, Shetland, appeared before Lerwick Sheriff Court in connection with the case in recent days.
Karen Allen suffered “significant” leg injuries as a pedestrian, following a vehicular collision in Scalloway, Shetland.
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