Oldham Council is fined after school technician lacerates hand in accident with a circular saw
Oldham Council has been fined £12,000 after a school construction technician lacerated his hand in a circular saw.
Oldham Metropolitian Borough Council pleaded guilty to a criminal charge brought by the Health and Safety Executive over the incident. The accident happened when Steven Walsh, a technician at Counthill Community School, caught his hand in an unguarded circular saw.
The HSE investigation found that another teacher had removed the saw’s blade guard prior to the accident, and that this was not noticed by Walsh.
HSE inspector Helen Fuller said: “Our investigation revealed that Steven Walsh had not received any training in the use and maintenance of woodworking machinery since he had joined the school in January 2004.”
