A fencing manufacturing company in Cresswell, Staffordshire, has been fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,645, after the index finger of a worker's right hand was sliced off by an unguarded circular saw.

The Fence Factory Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching S3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The case followed a HSE investigation into an incident on 21 May 2007 at Riverside, Blythe Valley Business Base in Cresswell. An agency worker suffered the loss of his index finger and damage to his little finger while using an unguarded circular saw to cut lengths of timber.

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Speaking after the case, HSE Investigating Inspector Wayne Owen said: "Allowing machines to be operated without suitable and appropriate guards is ignoring basic safety principles, an act which cannot go unpunished.

"When operating such machines the level of danger to the operator and other persons nearby cannot be overstated. A high-speed revolving blade, that is sharp enough to slice through wood, is an obvious risk. It is for this reason that extra care must be taken to ensure that the operator is well trained and that the saw is well maintained and properly used. HSE produces a wide range of guidance to assist companies who use woodworking machines to identify risks to themselves and their employees."

(CD/JM)