A PERSHORE company was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,336 by magistrates at Worcester.

Spearhead Machinery Ltd, of Pershore Trading Estate, Pershore, pleaded guilty to one breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 by failing to prevent access to a rotating stock-bar which protruded from the headstock of a lathe.

The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive and followed an incident which occurred on October 23, 2003.

David Skidmore, an 18-year-old employee was struck on the left hand by a steel stock-bar. He was helping a fellow trainee at a metal working lathe at the time of the accident.

The steel stock-bar was protruding from the rear of the headstock of the lathe, and upon starting the lathe on a high-speed setting, the bar bent and hit Mr Skidmore's hand. He suffered fractures to bones in his left hand, which was in plaster for about three months. He was off work for six months.

The company declined to comment.