Kennel Company Fined after Worker Cuts Off Finger with Saw
A kennel company has been fined after one of its workers cut off his finger with a saw.
Antony Capewell was working for Ultra Kennels Ltd when the accident occurred in May 2011. On the day of the incident, he was tasked with cutting timber with a circular table saw. The timber was to be cut on an angle, but he was not given a jig to safely push the wood through the saw.
As he was using the saw, his left hand accidentally came into contact with the cutting blade. This severed the top of his index finger and caused cuts to other digits. The injury meant that he had to take six months off work to recover.
The Health and Safety Executive investigated the accident due to the seriousness of the injuries. They found that Mr Capewell was using the saw despite being given no training on how to use woodworking equipment and the table saw safely. The company had also failed to undertake a risk assessment for using the table saw to make angular cuts.
The firm pleaded guilty at Court recently to breaking health and safety law in regards to the accident. They were fined £4,000.
