HSE/EM/720 17 July 2008

Derbyshire company prosecuted after employee loses fingers in woodworking incident

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned companies to ensure that their employees receive adequate health and safety training following an incident at an Ilkeston framing company.

On 4 July 2007, Just Frames Ltd employee, Paul Boam (47) from Nottingham, suffered partial amputation of his thumb and index finger whilst using a Wadkin saw to cut timber. He has been unable to return to work since the incident.

The company, based at Albany Mill, Lower Middleton Street, Ilkeston, was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £3,797 costs, at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court today (17 July 2008), after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 9(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, for failing to ensure that all persons who used work equipment had received adequate training for purposes of health and safety.

HSE Inspector Samantha Farrar, said:

“This incident could have been avoided if the company had trained its staff to use woodworking machinery. Employers must ensure that woodworking machine operators are properly trained and that they are made fully aware of the risks associated with such machinery.”

Notes to editors

1. Regulation 9(1) of the Provision of Use of Work Equipment Regulations states “every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for the purposes of health and safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using work equipment, any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken”.

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