College fined after student's fingers severed

A college has been fined after a student severed three fingers on his left hand while he was using a saw at the site.

Aaron Maguire, from Crewe, Cheshire, was a 17-year-old horticulture student at Reaseheath College, in Nantwich, when he was hurt while cutting a piece of wood with a mitre saw on 20 September 2023.

Surgeons were able to reattach his thumb and index finger but his middle finger could not be saved.

In a case brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the college admitted a breach under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £40,000 at Chester Magistrates' Court.

Reaseheath College apologised for what happened to the student and said it had taken "immediate robust action" to address the HSE's concerns.

Mr Maguire said everyday tasks have become more difficult for him despite his left hand not being his "dominant hand".

"I cannot grip things properly and it makes it difficult to do the hobbies I did," he added.

The now 19-year-old said he was a keen hockey player and still tried to play but was "nowhere near" the level he was at before the injury.

Mr Maguire is due to have an operation on his hand in September which he said would affect his studies at university.

According to the HSE, Mr Maguire was seen by a tutor not using the saw correctly but was still allowed to use it later without supervision, before his injury.

After the sentencing on 4 June, HSE inspector Summer Foster said the injuries would not have happened if there had been proper training, an assessment of competence and appropriate supervision.

"A young man has been left with life-changing injuries as a result," she added.

A spokesperson for Reaseheath College said the safety of its students and staff was its "top priority" and apologised for the incident.

They added the college recognised the lasting impact it had had on Mr Maguire and commended his "determination in moving forward with his ambitions".

"Following this isolated incident, we took immediate and robust action to review where any processes needed to be strengthened and ensured any lessons to be learned were implemented rapidly," they added.

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