A Mount Maunganui company has been ordered to pay $20,000 after one of its employees suffered serious injuries to his right hand with an unguarded angle grinder.

Mount Maunganui firm Advanced Automotive and Transmission Ltd was this afternoon fined $15,000 and also ordered to pay $5000 emotional harm reparation to the 21-year-old staff member who suffered partial dorsal amputation of his middle and ring fingers.

Judge Peter Rollo made the ruling at Tauranga District Court this afternoon after taking into account the victim was still keen to be employed by the company which had taken remedial steps and had offered to make amends.

On April 2 this year the victim had been using a Bosch angle grinder which had not been fitted with a protective guard.

The victim who underwent surgery at Tauranga Hospital was off work for about seven weeks and has since returned, appearing to have made a full recovery.