A firm has been fined after part of a teenage worker's finger was sliced off by a machine.Sharward Steel Fabrications has been ordered to pay a £1,000 fine and more than £1,300 costs in connection with the incident at its factory at Brandon.
A firm has been fined after part of a teenage worker's finger was sliced off by a machine.
Sharward Steel Fabrications has been ordered to pay a £1,000 fine and more than £1,300 costs in connection with the incident at its factory at Brandon.
The case at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court has prompted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to warn employers to ensure they assess workplace risks for young people after the 16-year-old had part of one of his fingers amputated by an unguarded cutting machine.
The metal fabrication company, based in Wimbledon Avenue, admitted the breach of health and safety at work law which happened on October 24, 2006.
The worker, who is from Brandon, was cutting sheet metal on a guillotine with company director John Ward when Mr Ward was called away to answer a phone call. He continued cutting the metal and suffered the injury.
An HSE investigation identified that the machine was not adequately guarded and identified a lack of training and supervision for such a young person.
After Friday's hearing, HSE inspector Julie Jarvey said the serious incident could, and should, have been prevented by the com-pany. She said young people were particularly vulnerable and firms needed to ensure proper risk assessments and training were carried out.
The company declined to comment on the case last night.
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