A young apprentice partially severed two fingers and a thumb with a power saw in one of two serious workplace incidents this week.
The ACT WorkSafe Commissioner is urging the local construction industry to put safety first in the wake of the accidents.

Two workplace accidents that left young apprentice tradies with serious injuries just days out from Christmas have sparked a warning from workplace authorities yesterday. 

In one incident, a 16-year-old apprentice carpenter suffered suspected upper body fractures when he plunged 3m from a residential construction site in northwest Sydney on Tuesday. 

On the same day, an apprentice welder suffered cuts and a broken elbow when he was struck by part of a motor at a manufacturing business on the mid-north coast. 

Investigations into both incidents are ongoing. 

SafeWork NSW yesterday urged bosses to look after their young workers, particularly over Christmas and the New Year. "Pressure to meet deadlines can make it tempting to cut corners but all too often this leads to tragedy." SafeWork NSW acting executive director Tony Williams said, adding that many teens were just starting apprenticeships at this time of year. 

"Thousands of school leavers are also entering the workforce for the first time, keen to impress their colleagues and employers."

Source: The Daily Telegraph