Student who cut off four of his fingers with a power saw in horrific classroom incident tried to make coasters from ‘dangerous’ wood
Student cut off three fingers and thumb with electric saw in manual art class
Teen of 12 tried to make coasters from cut rosewood
Queensland Education Department faces labor and safety costs over incident
Department can avoid court with acceptable commitment to remedy risks
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The horrifying moment when a Queensland high school student lost control of an electric buzzer that amputated three of his fingers and a thumb while teaching has been revealed in court documents.
The 12th-year student used a Makita Model LS 1040 compound miter saw to shape rosewood remains into drink coasters around 12 noon on June 1, 2018 at Dysart State High School, in central Queensland.
The teen held the piece of wood in his left hand and used his right hand to control the saw, but after knocking it down, he saw the spinning metal blade cut into his hand.
Court documents have detailed the shocking moment when a twelfth-year student from Queensland lost three fingers and thumb while using a Makita chainsaw to make coasters in class
“As the blade made contact with the wood, it started moving and the left hand (of the teenager) came into contact with the moving blade,” the court documents said. Courier Mail Report.
The accident resulted in the amputation of the teenager’s thumb and three fingers.
The Queensland Education Department has been charged with the incident under state work, health and safety laws.
In a statement to the Daily Mail Australia, the ministry said it is taking the matter seriously.
“The safety of students and staff is the department’s top priority and it takes any incident involving damage extremely seriously,” the statement said.
“As this case is under court, the department cannot comment further.”
The horrific accident happened on June 1, 2018 at Dysart State High School in central Queensland
The department is accused of failing to ensure that the teachers are “adequately trained and experienced in the use of all the plants to be used during the lessons.”
Prosecutors also allege that using the saw to cut raw and stripped short pieces of hardwood was not a well-judged task, nor was students adequately assessed and supervised.
Queensland’s Education Department faces health and safety at work charges over the incident
The school should have banned the use of raw and raw wood of shorter lengths to be used with a power saw and also ensured that clamps were used to secure wood before using a saw, the prosecution argued.
The Education Department could avoid prosecution if it makes a written ‘enforceable commitment’ that is accepted by Worksafe Queensland as a sufficient means of re-eliminating the risks of such an accident.
Court documents seen by the Courier Mail said Education Queensland was “pursuing an enforceable undertaking in relation to the matter”.
Prosecutors allege the school failed to properly train teachers or adequately assess the risks of the task being performed
The lawyers from the Education Department also asked for more time “to finalize the proposed enforceable commitment and submit it to the regulator for decision.”
If Workplace Health and Safety does not accept the department’s commitment, the case will go to the Emerald Magistrates Court in September.