The manufacturing sector has been reminded of the importance of guarding to prevent injury to workers using hazardous machinery.

Recently a court heard how a factory worker lost two fingers in a machine used to punch handles in plastic bags.

The worker's employer was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after the incident on November 23rd 2010.

The 53-year-old was replacing the rubber insert under a cutting tool when the machine started operating.

The tool came down on her left hand and, as a result, she lost her entire index finger and her middle finger to below the second knuckle.

An investigation by the HSE found that suitable guards were not in place to prevent workers gaining access to the cutting tool while the machine was operating, and that it was common practice for employees to change the rubber on the tool without the power to the machine being cut.

The company was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Speaking after the hearing, the investigating inspector at HSE, Emily Osborne, said: "A worker has been left with a life-long injury and has been unable to return to work as a result of an incident which could easily have been avoided.

"There should have been suitable guards and safety devices fitted to the machine to make it impossible for employees to gain access to the dangerous cutting tool while it was in operation."

On average, 34 workers are killed and nearly 5,000 suffer major injuries in the manufacturing industry in Great Britain every year, according to the HSE.

Article courtesy of Aviva PLC. Published 31-10-2011