Student lost three fingertips when guillotine operated unsafely in art class
A year 10 student lost three fingertips when an unguarded guillotine operated during art class at Beechworth Secondary College.
The boy was standing at the rear of a Metalmaster guillotine while classmates lined up brass for a jewellery project. The boy believed his fingers were clear when a foot pedal lowered the beam, cutting three of his left fingertips.
Someone shouted "stop" moments too late. The student had never been trained on the machine, which had no guard.
He was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital and spent nine days there. Adjusting to the permanent injury has been difficult.
The Victorian Department of Education was fined $150,000 and ordered to pay court costs. Two new machines with guards were installed the month after the incident.
- Three from left hand
- Fingertips lost
- Nine days at Royal Children's Hospital
- Hospital stay
- February 9, 2024
- Incident date
- $150,000
- Department fine
Why it mattersStudents working with dangerous machinery must be trained and the equipment must have safety guards. A preventable accident changed a teenager's life forever.
