Ruling due after man lost fingers in saw

Judgment may be given today in a case brought by a carpenter who lost two fingers when his hand was caught in an industrial saw.

Mr Justice Michael Twomey heard the last of the evidence yesterday at the High Court sitting in Cork. He adjourned the matter until today for judgment or to indicate when judgment would be ready to be given.

Shuttering carpenter Antoni Jamroziewicz, aged 52, of Caherdavin, Co Limerick, testified during his case this week that he was about to cut a metre length of timber from a 1.5m plank when he lost his balance and fell forward. His left hand went into the saw and part of his index and ring fingers were severed from his hand. It was not possible to restore these fingers.

The plaintiff, who was born near Krakow, came to Ireland for a contract of work in 2007 at construction of the Limerick Tunnel.

The incident in question happened at 4.30pm on April 23, 2008.

He brought the case against recruitment agency O’Neill Brennan Ltd and German contractor Strabag International GmbH.

Cathal Maguire, consulting engineer, was called by the defence yesterday, and told counsel Seamus Roche that the plaintiff first had to switch on the saw before using it and would have been standing in front of it in order to do so.

Mr Maguire believed it was more likely that someone falling forward would have fallen down over the blade which was protected with a guard.

Mr Maguire said he found it difficult to understand how the accident in this case actually occurred.

Mr Jamroziewicz said through an interpreter the machine was off at the time and he switched it on. “I took the plank and at this moment, I slipped, I lost balance, the surface was uneven, I stumbled on the uneven surface,” he said.

He said his left hand went into the saw, and that he was scared and in shock.