A timber firm has been fined £9,900 after an agency worker lost the top of his finger in an unguarded machine.

Grantham Magistrates' Court heard that the 23-year-old, from Holbeach, was helping to clear a blockage on a woodworking machine at Select Timber Products Ltd's premises in Mill Lane, Donington, when the incident happened on 15 July 2013.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found two of the machine's guards had been removed. The machine operator had lifted the main guard to clear the blockage, while a fixed guard on one of the machine’s six cutting head had also been taken off to make cleaning easier.


However, the machine was still under power, so when the agency worker reached in his left hand came into contact with one of the moving cutting heads. Surgeons had to amputate the top of his middle finger on his left hand. He also suffered severe lacerations to two other fingers and only has partial movement in these and his middle finger.

Select Timber Products Ltd was fined a total of £9,900 and ordered to pay a further £1,193 in costs after pleading guilty to three separate breaches of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

(CD/MH)