08/06/2010 - Man had foot severed by blades
A keen footballer had his foot severed by a log cutting machine, an incident which led to a £20,000 for a Cumbrian wood factory.
When a conveyor belt was blocked the 24-year-old man got his foot caught in the spinning blades as he tried to fix the problem.
The victim had a trial planned with a local football club before the incident happened 15 days into his new job.
The owner of Forest Products in Clifton, Penrith, Allan Jenkinson, 56, admitted breaching a charge of putting workers at risk.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) fined Mr Jenkinson £20,000 and ordered him to pay £6,146 costs.
The worker was using a chainsaw to deal with a stuck log on a conveyor, Penrith Magistrates' Court heard.
His right foot became caught in 48 razor-sharp revolving blades at the bottom of the log box, after he lost his balance.
After suffering the injury the employee crawled out of the box and called for help on the radio. He had been working alone.
Mr Jenkinson did not have sufficient safeguards in place for workers the HSE concluded.
Fixed guards have been installed around the machine since the incident on 29 June 2009.
Faye Wingfield, HSE inspector, said: "Life-changing incidents such as this one are easily preventable.
"It must be a high priority for employers to ensure that their workers are kept safe from serious injury and death at work."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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