19/01/2011 - Firm fined over worker's arm injury
An Essex furniture firm has been fined £12,500 after an employee nearly lost his arm working with an industrial saw he was not adequately trained to use.
Daniel Gaskin, a furniture assembler employed by Machine Hire at Burnham Business Park, was using a cross cut saw to slice wood when he sawed through his left arm, Chelmsford Magistrates' Court was told.
The 28-year-old had been with the firm for only 10 weeks and had no previous experience working with the machine, prosecutors said.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated the incident, said Mr Gaskin received only five minutes of instruction on how to use the saw the day before the accident in March last year.
HSE inspectors said the training was insufficient and did not cover the use of safety guards available on the machine, and said the accident could have been avoided with a properly adjusted nose guard.
Machine Hire, which admitted breaching health and safety regulations, was fined £12,500 and ordered to pay £3,000 in costs.
Copyright © Press Association 2011
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