Firm to pay over £2k for teens lost finger

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Suffolk-based Sharward Steel Fabrications will have to fork out more than £2,300 after a young worker's finger was amputated by unguarded parts of a machine.

The incident occurred in October 2006, when a 16-year-old employee from Brandon was working with the director of the company cutting sheet metal on a guillotine.

When director John Ward left his side to take a phone call, the unnamed worker continued cutting the sheet metal on the machine, which had no front guard in place.

The teenager had pushed the metal far under the blade when he accidentally pressed down the foot pedal, which brought the guillotine down and took the end of one of his fingers off.

The company pleaded guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act at the Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court. It was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,345.10.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Julie Jarvey said the machine was not adequately guarded and there had been a lack of training and supervision for such a young person.

She said: "This serious incident could and should have been prevented by the company by ensuring that the dangerous parts were adequately guarded. Young persons are particularly vulnerable and companies need to ensure proper risk assessments and training is carried out for this type of employee."