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Sawmill fined £40k after worker's hand injury

14 Dec 21 A Cornish sawmill has been fined £40,000 after a worker severed his finger when his hand came into contact with the moving parts of a machine.

Truro Sawmills failed to ensure that there was a machine guard to prevent access to a cross-cut saw’s moving parts.

It also failed to deliver adequate training to its employees, an investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) established.

Plymouth Magistrates’ court heard how, on 20th March 2018, an employee was examining the moving parts at the rear of a saw to check why it had been cutting inaccurately. The saw remained in operation while he did so, and his glove became caught in the moving parts causing him to sever his index finger on his left hand.

Truro Sawmills of Pendale, Penhallow, Truro, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay costs of £15,594.

HSE inspector Melissa Lai-Hung said after the hearing: “This injury was easily preventable. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery. Those in control have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers.”

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MPU
MPU

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