Shred-it fined over £19,000 after new worker loses parts of fingers in shredding machine

Manchester company Shred-it Limited, was fined £19,485 (inc.costs) after an new employee was injured by a shredding machine.

The circumstances were:

• The paper shredder at its Iver, Bucks., plant had inadequate guarding.
• On 31 December 2013 Stuart Rolls, who had only worked for Shred-it Limited for two weeks, was alone in the shredder compartment. 
• He tried to free a piece of paper by reaching into the shredder. 
• His right hand came into contact with the shredder knives. 
• He lost a finger, part of his thumb and the top of another finger.