The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned employers to ensure they assess workplace risks for young people. The warning follows HSE's prosecution of a metal fabrication company in Suffolk, after a young worker's finger was amputated by unguarded parts of a machine.

Sharward Steel Fabrications Ltd of Wimbledon Avenue in Brandon, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1345.10 at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court on Friday (May 30) after pleading guilty to Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

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On 24th October 2006, a 16-year-old Sharward Steel Fabrications employee from Brandon, was working with the director of the company cutting sheet metal on a guillotine. The director John Ward was then called away to answer a phone call, and the young employee continued cutting the sheet metal.

There was no front guard on the machine, so he managed to push the metal far under the blade and accidentally pressed down the foot pedal, which brought the guillotine down and took the end of one of his fingers off.

The HSE investigation identified that the machine was not adequately guarded as the director had previously removed the guard and the investigation also identified a lack of training and supervision for such a young person.

(JM)