A firm has been fined £6,000 after a worker had to have his right hand amputated after trapping it in an industrial press.

Cecil Kumar's hand was crushed at engineering company Purdie Dished Ends Ltd in Ingleby Road, Lidget Green, Bradford, in December 2005.

The firm pleaded guilty at Bradford Magistrates' Court yesterday to two breaches of Health and Safety at Work regulations and was also ordered to pay £1,399 costs.

Julian Franklin, prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive, said the safety guarding fitted to the Boldrini press was inadequate and had not been properly maintained.

A photo-electric safety system, known as a "light curtain", had been improperly fitted to the machine after it was moved from previous premises in Eastwood Street.

"We don't know why Mr Kumar's hand came to be in the press," said Mr Franklin.

"His recollection is that he slipped and he put his hand out to break his fall.

"Whether he was doing something he shouldn't have done is irrelevant in Health and Safety terms. The accident was caused by the failure of the company to guard the press area and its failure to ensure the machine was in proper working order."

Chris Morrison, for the firm, said that for whatever reason Mr Kumar, who was an experienced, well-trained and valued employee, had walked into the guarded area surrounding the press.

"He was doing something outside anything he and all other employees had been trained in," said Mr Morrison.

"This was an employee who sadly did something extremely foolish and has paid a dreadful, dreadful price for it."

The firm had accepted liability for what happened and a civil claim had been agreed with Mr Kumar, who remained an employee.

After the case Mr Franklin said: "This case shows the need for all equipment to be properly guarded and for control equipment to be positioned appropriately and maintained so as to be effective."