TEENAGER LOSES FINGERS

An eighteen year old machinist, who worked with lathes, grinding and milling machines, lost half his index finger, most of his middle finger, and both his ring and little finger of his left hand while he was was changing a cutter on a milling machine. He accidentally switched the machine on while the cutter was still in his hand but despite attempts, surgery failed to re-attach the fingers.

The HSE told the court the system of work for changing cutters was not safe and risks from operating the mill- ing machine and changing cutters had not been adequately assessed. Their investigation also concluded that there was insufficient guarding around the machine to protect body parts during its operation and also found interlocks and the start buttons were not covered which would have prevented inadvertent activation during setting up and maintenance.

The HSE Inspector said: “For a young man to lose four fingers in an incident like this at the start of his career is serious and severely affects his future employment prospects.“If safe systems of work, sufficient guards on the machinery and adequate supervision had been in place, this would not have happened.” The company has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,376.40.

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