Pemberton Timber Frame Worker Struggles to Care for Children After Saw Accident
A Ramsgate worker faces challenges in parenting after losing three fingers in a saw accident at Pemberton Timber Frame
Ramsgate, UK, Pemberton Timber Frame, Saw Accident, Health and Safety, David Broadway
Ramsgate: A worker is having a tough time caring for his kids after a serious accident at work. David Broadway lost three fingers when a saw blade cut through them.
The incident happened while he was trying to cut a piece of timber at Pemberton Timber Frame. He was working on a panel saw when things went wrong.
David was cutting the timber multiple times because it was too thick for a single pass. He managed the first cut but struggled with the second one.
As he was feeding the timber through the saw, his right hand accidentally touched the blade. It was a horrific moment that led to the loss of his index, middle, and ring fingers.
Now, David feels overwhelmed. He can’t do the things he used to enjoy, like weight lifting or biking. Even simple tasks like cooking or showering have become hard for him.
He’s also finding it difficult to care for his children, especially his young son, who was born after the accident. It’s a lot for him to handle.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that David was asked to do a job that wasn’t safe for the equipment he was using. He didn’t get enough training on how to operate the saw properly.
They found that the company didn’t provide him with crucial safety information, like how to use the saw’s features correctly. The saw didn’t even have a riving knife at the time, which is a safety requirement.
HSE has guidelines for safe woodworking, and it’s clear that if proper safety measures had been in place, David’s life-changing injuries could have been avoided.
Pemberton Timber Frame pleaded guilty to safety violations and was fined £12,000, along with costs of over £4,000. It’s a tough lesson for everyone involved.
After the hearing, an HSE inspector emphasized that employers must ensure safe working methods and provide proper training to prevent such accidents.