Barry Magistrates’ Court heard details of the horrific incident as his employers, Morgan Est  were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive.

Clive Morgan, 46, from Gilfach Goch, Rhondda, was installing piles into the ground to prevent the collapse of an excavation for an underground pumping station at Barry Ponds.

Mr Morgan was standing on a horizontal beam in place to guide the pile into position, when his foot became trapped between the sheet and the beam, injuring his left foot so seriously he later had it amputated.

The company, of Kent House, 14-17 Market Place, London, pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The construction firm have been fined £12,000 with costs of £11,213.

The incident happened in February 2008 and the HSE investigation demonstrated that the work Mr Morgan was involved in was not being carried out in a safe manner, in that no-one should be standing close to a metal pile as it is being lowered into position.

HSE Inspector Steve Richardson said: “The horrific injuries sustained by Mr Morgan in this case demonstrate the need for employers to have safe systems of working in place on site.

“This installation is fairly routine in the construction industry and there are plenty of examples of good practice this company should have followed.

“Since the incident, the company have revised their procedures for installing piles and provided dedicated training for their operatives. This was too late for Mr Morgan, who remains unable to work and is still undergoing treatment.”

In March 2010 Morgan Est pleaded guilty to safety breaches resulting in a man’s arm being torn off at a water treatment plant in Huddersfield in March 2008. The firm was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,163.