East Coast Timber Ltd has been fined £10,000 with £990 costs at Boston Magistrates Court for health and safety breaches after a teenage worker lost all the fingers on one hand in a sawing accident.
The Louth-based company pleaded guilty to five health and safety-related offences when it appeared at the court.
The incident took place in April 2006 when the 17-year-old employee severed the fingers on his right hand in an accident with a circular saw.
East Lindsey District Council, which brought the prosecution, said the case should serve as a warning to other companies that may be in breach of health and safety regulations.
Council health and safety inspector Rod MackKenzie said it was the responsibility of all employers to ensure potentially dangerous equipment was properly guarded and that people were trained to use it.
“Preventing accidents in the workplace is the responsibility of everyone, and health and safety should always be taken seriously,” he said. “It’s not about an abundance of paperwork but about protecting people’s lives.”
