Loss of part of thumb on moving saw blade

JSF Stainless Ltd, a steel products manufacturer of Brownhills, and its director have been prosecuted for safety failings after a 17-year-old worker seriously injured his hand on a moving saw blade. 
The incident occurred on 1 June 2011 and the circumstances were:

• The worker  was asked to clean a steel cutting saw by a company director while the blade was still moving.
• He had never used the machine and didn’t know how to stop the blade. 
• He attempted the clean regardless and in doing so the saw caught his left hand, taking three fingers and his thumb clean off and partially severing his little finger.

The HSE found that:

• The teenager should never have been instructed to clean dangerous equipment that was still in operation. 
• He should have been provided with appropriate training on how to make the machine safe to clean. 
• He should have been suitably supervised.

JSF Stainless Ltd, were fined £19,000 (inc. costs). 
The director was  fined £4,600 (inc. costs).

The HSE inspector said: "This incident should not have happened. A young man has suffered the painful trauma of losing his fingers and thumb. He has been left with a permanent injury that will affect him for the rest of his life.  This was his first job. He was asked to clean the saw while the blade was moving by an experienced individual who knew better, and who should have ensured the machine was made safe. Appropriate supervision should have been provided throughout but was not."

Source: HSE 18th April 2013