A man who lost part of his hand from a work accident has been compensated $85,500 thanks to the Accident Compensation Commission of Fiji.

Manoj Kumar worked on the sugarcane farm as a machine assistant in Seaqaqa, Vanua Levu.

The mechanical harvester was harvesting sugarcane at a farm when the extractor of the machine got jammed.

The driver of the machine instructed Mr Kumar to clear the jam, and in the process his left hand got trapped between the blades, which resulted in traumatic amputation from the wrist joint of his left hand.

Following the incident, he was advised to apply for compensation from the commission since it was an employment accident.

Upon receiving his application and all relevant information, the commission processed it in a timely manner and assessed his compensation, in accordance with the Accident Compensation Act 2017 and Regulations.

Mr Kumar thanked the commission team and said he was grateful to the commission because he was not expecting such a quick turnaround and a large sum of money.

Mr Kumar said he would use this money for his children’s education and pay off debts.

Mr Kumar is also preparing to go to India with this money for further treatment.

Mr Kumar compared his case to a relatives, case whose son had passed away in 2009 in a vehicle accident.

They are still fighting for compensation in Court and wished the commission had been established back then.

Mr Kumar also thanked the Government for setting up the commission for the benefit of the public .

Workers and employers are encouraged to take personal responsibility and all necessary steps to prevent employment accidents.

The commission offers the following safety tips when using a mechanical harvester machine:

• Make sure all guards and shields are in place.
• Ensure all workers are trained in proper operating technique and safety procedures when using machinery.
• Never clean, maintain, adjust or clear jams when the machine is on , stop all moving parts before servicing the machine.
• Operators should take regular breaks.