10/05/2010 - Firm fined after man loses finger
An engineer lost a finger when it became trapped in machinery, leading to a £1,000 fine for his Burnley employers.
The Health and Safety Executive launched a probe after 30-year-old Paul Whittaker had a finger trapped and cut off at CMA Tools (Burnley) Ltd, of Westgate, in the town's Belle Vue Mill on April 1, 2009.
A piece of emery cloth was being used by Mr Whittaker to reduce the size of a metal component on a metalworking lathe, Reedley Magistrates' Court heard.
The cloth became trapped by the rotating mechanism, pulling in his right hand. Mr Whittaker was wearing a glove at the time which pulled his hand further into the machinery.
Reedley Magistrates' Court heard that Mr Whittaker had not received training on how to operate the machine safely, or on the dangers of using emery cloths on metalworking lathes.
The HSE investigation found that the company had failed to adequately assess the risks of using emery cloths on rotating mechanisms, and had not implemented a safe system of work to control the risks.
CMA Tools pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of its employees. The company was ordered to pay costs of £1,000 in addition to the fine on 6 May 2010.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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