Worker loses arm in circular saw which was still running down

Stagecraft Display Ltd, of Llandrindod Wells, was fined  £21,865 (inc. costs) after a woodworker had his right arm severed while clearing sawdust from underneath a circular saw.

The circumstances were:

• Although the machine was fitted with an interlock that stops power to the saw when the door to the saw well is opened, the saw took more than 30 seconds to stop completely.
• A self-employed machine maintenance engineer inspected the saw three months before the incident and told one of the company’s managers that it should be taken out of service or fitted with a brake which would stop the blade much sooner.
• On 23 February 2012, Brian Morris had finished sawing for the day and his last task was to clean the saw and saw well.
• He stopped the machine and opened the door of the well while the blade was still running down and was on one knee blowing air into the well to clear the dust. 
• At the same time a forklift truck drove into the factory and he turned his head to look.
• As he did so the moving blade caught the sleeve of his work jacket and cut his right arm. Although he managed to pull himself free, the arm was almost wholly severed.
• Mr Morris was taken to hospital, where he remained for a month, but doctors were unable to successfully reattach his arm and he underwent an amputation below the elbow.
• He was unable to return to work because of his injuries and has since died from an unrelated illness.

The HSE inspector said:

“This incident was entirely preventable. Saws cause the most injuries in the woodworking industry and power-operated circular saws are dangerous machines which have caused many serious incidents. Employees should not be able to gain access to dangerous parts of the machinery while they are moving and Stagecraft Display had a duty, as do all employers, to ensure that this cannot happen. Unfortunately in this case the saw had not finished rotating despite the fact that Mr Morris had switched it off and he then inadvertently came into contact with the moving blade, suffering a horrific injury.”