Guarding Violation Results in Amputated Finger & $7,500 Fine

A worker operating a moulder machine got distracted as he reached in to alter a feed wheel and his hand got caught in the wheel. He had to have his middle finger amputated and was out of work for 17 months. The moulder was an older model and didn’t have the proper safeguards. The company pleaded guilty to a guarding violation and was fined $7,500 [SWP Industries, Govt. News Release, Aug. 24, 2012].