Horrific circular saw accident in which employee lost two fingers results in £10,000 fine for Woodford Halse company

The 27-year-old employee of Main Line Timber Limited was operating a rotating circular saw when a piece of wood snagged and drew his left hand into the blade.

The employee’s left hand was severely injured, and his little finger and ring finger were subsequently amputated. He has been unable to work again since the incident on July 25 last year.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found the company had failed to ensure that required safety features were installed on the machine and to maintain the condition of the top guard on the saw.

Northampton Magistrates’ Court heard the employee had been working on the saw alone and was both feeding and taking off large pieces of timber from the saw.

In addition to these failings, the employee did not receive adequate training for use of the saw and there was an unsafe system of work in place.

Following the accident, Main Line Timber Limited has taken the machine out of use.

Main Line Timber Limited of Old Station Yard, Woodford Halse, was fined £10,000 with costs of £1000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Jenna McDade, said: “Had the company taken suitable measures to ensure workers did not come into contact with the rotating blade, had the saw been properly guarded and fitted with relevant safety features and had employees been provided with adequate training, this young man would not have lost two of his fingers.”