A hardwood floor company has been fined after a worker's arm was punctured by a large piece of wood.
Paul Murdoch, 40, of New Ollerton, Nottinghamshire, was cutting walnut boards on a circular ripsaw at Weldon Contracts Ltd's workshop in Caunton Road, Norwell, on 11 September 2009 when a 90 centimetre section broke off and punctured his arm.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the machine had no guards at the time of the incident, nor did it have a riving knife - a safety device at the back of the saw which pushes the two pieces of wood apart and prevents such incidents, known as kickbacks.
Nottingham magistrates were today told the machine had been used a day before the incident for a different process known as deep cutting which had seen the guard and riving knife removed. Neither had been replaced.
Weldon Contracts Ltd, of The Grange, Norton Disney, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £6,000 with £4,773 costs.