Loss of man's finger in cogs of machine 'preventable'

A FIRM has been fined £24,000 after a worker’s hand was crushed in a machine - resulting in him losing a finger.

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Nathan Watkins was loading a tube polishing machine at West Midlands Limited in Oldbury when the ‘entirely preventable’ incident took place.

The machine had faulty rollers, which required the 35-year-old to lean over and straighten the metal tubes. But as he did so, his left hand became entangled in the machine's unguarded cogs and chains.

His left ring finger was severed to the first knuckle, while his middle finger was crushed, resulting in an operation to have a metal rod inserted.

Mr Watkins’ index finger was also crushed and required multiple surgeries.