A WASTE management firm has been fined £20,000 after a Derby agency worker lost the tips of two fingers in an incident at work.
The 28-year-old man was trying to remove tape that had become wrapped around the external chain drive of a sorting machine.
The incident happened at Biffa Waste Services Ltd, in Trafalgar Park, Victory Road, Derby.
Today, Derby Magistrates' Court heard the glove he was wearing became entangled on the moving chains, which severed the tips of his little and ring fingers on his right hand.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the machine had been fitted with the external chain drive following a breakdown and brought back into use without it being adequately guarded.
After it was fitted, the machine became blocked more frequently and workers had not received adequate training in the safe isolation of the drive.
Biffa Waste Services Ltd, which has its head office in High Wycombe, was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,542 after admitting two counts of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Edward Walker said: "The company was fully aware of the requirement for the chains to be guarded and had made arrangements for guards to be added later that week, yet still allowed the machine to be used before that happened.
"As a result, a man suffered a painful injury that could have been prevented."
The Derby Telegraph has contacted the company for a comment.
