Council fined £20,000 after autistic boy loses fingertips in school gate

A local authority has been fined £20,000 after a boy with autism and learning difficulties lost the tips of three fingers when his hand was trapped in a school gate.

The six-year-old was a pupil at Springwood Special Educational Needs Primary School on Barton Road in Swinton when the incident happened on 23 October 2012.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that Salford City Council had failed to act on a report produced in April 2004.

The 2004 report had identified the risk of children trapping their fingers in the outside gates but action was only taken after the incident in 2012.

The HSE told Manchester Crown Court that there was an 8cm gap on the side of the gate when it was shut, but the gap was reduced to zero when the gate was pushed open, creating a guillotine effect.

The incident happened when staff opened the gate to allow ten children into the playground for their lunchtime break.

The court heard that the risk assessment in place at the time of the incident advised staff to be vigilant and supervise children through the gates, but guards could have been fitted at little cost.

Hospital staff managed to reattach two of the tips to the boy’s fingers. However, he now has reduced use of his hand and amputation injuries.

Salford was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £3,632 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

HSE Inspector Emily Osborne said: “Salford City Council failed to make sure health and safety at the school met the minimum legal standards and put these children at risk over a long period of time.

“Teachers did their best to supervise children through the gates and follow the risk assessment to avoid fingers being trapped, but no action was taken by the council to prevent this from happening.”