A COMPANY has been fined after a worker needed a finger amputated because of an accident.

A COMPANY has been fined after a worker needed a finger amputated because of an accident.

Anglian Timber Ltd, of Wix, near Manningtree, was fined �5,000 and ordered to pay �19,280 costs yesterday.

The male member of staff, who had been training to become a physiotherapist, was badly hurt by machinery on May 14, 2007, and needed to have his right index finger amputated.

He had been producing timber fence rails on a woodworking machine, thought the extraction system was blocked and opened the lid to the machine. But the machine was not secured and his finger was severely damaged by a cutter.

Yesterday, at Chelmsford Crown Court, the company was found guilty of failing to take effective measures to prevent access to the cutters on an Arris Rail Ending machine.

Now the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned companies they must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.

HSE inspector Martin Kneebone said: "It is essential that companies ensure the guarding systems on any rotating machinery are effective to prevent access to dangerous parts.

“It is foreseeable that a production operative will try and clear a blockage in any machine particularly if it occurs on a regular basis.

“Where such access is required the guard should be interlocked with the machine to ensure the machinery is stopped before entry can be gained."