Work accident claim experts say a carpenter recently lost two of his fingers in a grisly incident on the job in Westminster.
The worker, a twenty two year old man whose identity has not been made public, had been employed by Grand Plans (UK) Ltd, a building contractor based in Tower Hamlets, on the refurbishment project at the time of the incident, according to personal injury claims experts familiar with the story. The young man had been using an unguarded bench-saw at the time of the incident, Marleybone Magistrates’ Court was told, but his hand came into contact with the rotating blade after the piece of wood he had been cutting slipped.
The carpenter lost half of his ring finger and little finger in the incident, having to endure countless surgical procedures in order to repair the damage done to the nerves and fingers in his right hand. The Health and Safety Executive investigated the worker’s injuries, finding evidence that warranted the watchdog to prosecute Grand Plans (UK) Limited for the role it played in the man’s injuries.
The building contractor, who is currently in liquidation and did not attend the hearing, was given a fine of £7,500 at the court hearing following the HSE’s prosecution. Marleybone Magistrates’ Court, which found the company guilty of breaching rules covering the use of work equipment, also ordered Grand Plans to pay a total of £3,881 in legal fees as well.
It would have been a simple measure to add the most basic guards to the bench saw and thus prevent the gruesome injuries sustained by the worker, one HSE representative said after the court decision.