An
apprentice butcher forced to have his hand amputated when it became stuck in a
mincing machine is back at work, just 26 days after the horrendous accident. Thomas
Stevens had only been working for six weeks when his right hand became trapped
in the unsafe machine at P and K Meats in Street, Somerset.
Paramedics
were forced to amputate the then 16-year-old's hand after 30 minutes, with the
teenager's boss later found guilty of health and safety offences and ordered to
pay thousands in court.
After
26 days out of work, Thomas has returned to the shop, slicing up cuts of meat
with a prosthetic hook. 'I just decided after my accident just to get on with
it and not let it hold me back and carry on with what I love,' he said. 'It was
a total of 26 days I was out for, that was it. I got bored just sat at home. 'I'm
coping really well, I have learnt to adapt with what I have got, I'm doing
really well. 'I have a prosthetic hook which I tend to use when I'm butchering
and all that, it’s actually much easier, although I have to be careful not to
cut my other hand!'
Yeovil
magistrates heard how Thomas had always wanted to become a butcher when he
undertook training beneath Paul Jeffrey last summer. After six weeks in the shop, the teenager was
using the meat mincing machine when his right hand became trapped. 'The victim was working at the meat mincing
machine when his right hand entered the feed intake and became trapped,'
prosecutor Lesley Dolan told Yeovil Magistrates Court, where Mr Jeffrey was
found guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.
'Fire
and rescue and ambulance crews were called to the scene and his dominant right
hand was amputated in situ and he was then taken to hospital. The old machine
had not been fitted with a guard since being bought by Mr Jeffrey despite a
change in British Standards, the court heard.
When he bought the premises he took over the lease and all the equipment
and at the time it was manufactured it was sold as it is now and it had never
had a guard fitted,' said his lawyer, Ian Dixey. However since then the British
Standards have changed and all such machines come with a guard sitting over the
top.'
Mr
Jeffrey was ordered to pay £15,000 after telling the court he felt 'personally responsible'
for the accident. He enjoys trying to
pass on the skills of the business to those who are working for him as he is a
properly trained butcher,' Mr Dixey added.
'The
accident was a terrible blow to him as he feels total responsibility for what
happened. He has tried his best to make it up to Tom by training him and
passing on what he knows and the most important thing is that he has learnt
from this.
'He is
quite well known locally and it is clear that a number of other shops realised
they were not doing what they should have been and have been in touch with him
to find out what is required by the local authority.'
The
butcher was spared jail, with magistrates accepting his guilty plea as a sign
of remorse. We have also looked at the
fact that others are relying on you for employment therefore it would not have
been in anybody’s interests to imprison you or cripple you with huge fines,'
said Susan Coates, chair of the bench.
A
separate claim for compensation on behalf of Thomas is being dealt with by the
shop's insurers, the court heard.
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