§ Mr. McMahonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the workshop at Perth prison was last inspected by the Health and Safety Committee; how the accident involving a prisoner who had fingers amputated was able to happen; and whether all the required guards on the machine were in place.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe workshops at Perth prison were subject to a safety audit by the establishment's health and safety officer, representing the health and safety committee, and the prison service health and safety adviser on 4 February 1982. A factory inspector from the Health and Safety Executive inspected the workshops on 11 September 1981.
419WThe accident involving a prisoner who had fingers amputated happened because the prisoner disregarded the operating instructions for the machine he was using, which specifically warn against any other person assisting, and asked another prisoner to assist in operating it before his fingers were clear of the blade. The machine is designed with the built-in safety factor that it can only be operated by using both hands simultaneously to press two guarded buttons above the body of the machine and is completely safe provided operating instructions are observed. Because of this design feature no guards are required with this machine.