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  cutting disc    A FATHER was blinded in one eye in a horrific accident at work that magistrates yesterday blamed on bosses saving money. Welder Norman Fielding, of Wallsend, North Tyneside, was lucky to survive when a metal-cutting disc disintegrated and shards smashed through his safety visor and into his left eye. The metal stopped just millimetres from his brain. Mr Fielding was an employee of Weldex UK, at Teams, Gateshead, when the accident happened on August 1 last year. Gateshead Magistrates’ Court heard that the metal cutter was fitted with a disc more than four times the recommended size, set to rotate at more than twice the safe speed limit. After the accident, the 49-year-old, of Sutton Court, collapsed and was taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, but doctors were unable to save his sight. He is still undergoing treatment. Yesterday Weldex was fined ￡11,500 after admitting three charges of neglecting health and safety regulations and ordered to pay ￡1,832 costs. Chairman of the bench Malcolm Ormiston said: “We believe that these risks were foreseeable. “The company accepts that it was not following its own procedure. We believe this was to cut costs. The company ignored guidelines. We see no mitigating circumstances.” Mr Fielding, who has been told he may lose his eye, is preparing a civil case for damages against the company. Martin Baillie, an inspector for the Heath and Safety Executive, told the court: “What happened was, Mr Fielding was using a grinder to grind out imperfections on an old weld when the disc he was using ruptured and about half the disc flew off and embedded itself into the visor on the helmet and entered his left eye. The disc and grinder were not compatible and there were no suitable precautions taken to prevent the effects of the disc rupturing. “And Mr Fielding had not been trained in the use of abrasive wheels. His injuries could easily have been fatal.” After the hearing, Mr Fielding, who is married with a daughter, told The Journal: “This incident has just turned my life upside down. I have not worked since and I still have to have treatment. “The doctors are saying they may have to remove my eye altogether – there is no chance of me ever getting my sight back. “I’m relieved that today is over and that they pleaded guilty. But today was just the beginning, I will be taking this to a civil court to get compensation. My life has just come to a standstill since the accident.” The company accepts it was not following its own procedure. We believe this was to cut costs. Incident 'at odds with safety regime' GEOFF HARMER, managing director of Weldex, was in court as magistrates passed sentence. Bruce Howarth, for the firm, told the court: “Weldex wishes to express its deep regret for the injury suffered by Norman Fielding. The company has an excellent safety record. “This incident was completely at odds with the working environment and the company’s health and safety regime and was an absolute shock to us all. “We have and continue to fully support Norman and his family following the incident. The company has co-operated fully with the investigation.”