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Saturday job boy loses arm in mincer

Surgeons had to amputate a teenager's arm in a butcher's shop after it became trapped in a mincer. Sam Ashworth, 15, was stuck in the machine for two hours at the business in Oldham, Greater Manchester, where he had a Saturday job. Surgeons from the Royal Oldham Hospital were called to J&B Fitton Ltd in Shaw, and decided to amputate his right arm. His father, Stephen Ashworth, praised medical staff, and said: 'One of the hospital staff sat with Sam and held him up for two hours before they amputated.' He added: 'The people who run the shop are friends of ours and they are distraught at what has happened.' It is unclear how Sam became trapped, but the Health and Safety Executive said there were no age restrictions on operating machinery. However, the law does require risk assessments to take specific account of the physical and mental capability of workers under 18 to perform a work task. A TUC-backed report published last month in Hazards magazine reported nearly 4,500 workers aged 16 to 24 were seriously injured or killed at work last year, over 20 per cent more than five years ago (Risks 269). It identified a lack of training and supervision as the major responsible factor. Next month's European Health and Safety Week has a 'Safe Start' theme on the protection of young workers.

• Manchester Evening News. BBC News Online. The Sun.
• TUC and Hazards young workers safety webpages.
• TUC and European Agency 23-28 October European Week 2006 webpages.

Briefing document (300 words) issued 22 Sep 2006