A worker says he now struggles to care for his children after three of his fingers were severed by a saw at work.
David Broadway was asked to cut down the thickness of a length of timber when the incident happened at Pemberton Timber Frame at its site in Evelyn Way, Ramsgate.
David Broadway says he now struggles to care for his children after three of his fingers were severed by a saw at Pemberton Timber Frame’s site in Evelyn Way, Ramsgate. Picture: HSE
It involved passing a length of timber through a panel saw multiple times as it exceeded the depth the blade could cut in one pass.
CCTV footage shows the 36-year-old successfully completing the cut before flipping the length of timber over.
But he soon found the second cut much more difficult before the January 4, 2023 incident.
The dad is seen attempting to feed the timber through the saw and while receiving it from the cut end, his right hand made contact with the saw blade, instantly amputating his index, middle and ring fingers, and also cutting his little finger.
Mr Broadway says the accident has massively impacted aspects of his life.
It makes me feel stressed as I can’t do the everyday activities I used to do…
“I used to do weight lifting, ride my bike and keep active,” he said.
“I used to work a lot with my hands and I am now getting frustrated as I can’t do these things.
“Even normal activities like cooking or taking a shower are a challenge. It makes me feel stressed as I can’t do the everyday activities I used to do.”
Mr Broadway also struggles to care for his children, including his young son, who was born after the accident.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Mr Broadway was asked to complete a task unsuitable for the machine he was using.
Pemberton Timber Frame also failed to ensure he received sufficient training or instruction on how to use the panel saw safely.
This would have included vital information about the limitations of the saw, guarding and other safety features such as a riving knife and the use of a push stick. The saw-riving knife was also absent at the time of the incident.
HSE has clear guidance on safe woodworking which includes how and when a rip cut is carried out – a panel saw with a circular blade must not be used unless the saw blade, at all times, projects through the upper surface of the material being cut.
The investigation also discovered the company had appropriate machines to undertake this task safely but Mr Broadway was unaware of this due to his lack of training.
Pemberton Timber Frame, of The Strand, Walmer, pleaded guilty on January 8 to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ and was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £4,034.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE principal inspector Ross Carter said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers.
“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life-changing injuries sustained by Mr Broadway would not have happened.”