A Lower Hutt-based joinery company has been fined $25,000 after a contractor suffered injuries to his left hand while operating an unguarded planer.
Wellington District Court today also ordered Grimes & Browning (2000) Limited to pay the man $5000 in reparations.
The accident happened April 29 last year, and resulted in the company being convicted on one charge under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
"The contractor was operating an unguarded planer when his hand slipped and his ring finger came into contact with the exposed blades," said Department of Labour central regional manager Brett Murray.
"The contractor was left with significant injuries to the knuckle and tendons of his ring finger on his left hand."
Mr Murray said the department's Guidelines for Safe Use of Woodworking Machinery clearly stated that every planing machine used for overhand planing should be fitted with a bridge guard.
"In this case those guidelines were not adhered to, exposing the contractor to an unacceptable risk. It could have easily been avoided if the plane had been fitted with a simple guard," said Mr Murray.
The department had a project under way to help reduce the number and severity of machinery-related accidents. The Safe Use of Machinery project was into its second year and involved inspectors talking to employers about machine guarding and reminding them of their responsibilities to keep their employees safe while at work.
