Nasmyth Technologies Limited have been fined after causing significant ill health to four employees after exposing them to a chemical spill.
Between 150 and 200 litres of a chemical preparation, including hydrofluoric acid, were spilled on a factory floor in Dorset on 9 October 2017. The chemicals were cleaned up over several hours by four workers that were not given adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE). The workers all had no training for undertaking this kind of clean up.
Some of the workers suffered illness following the clean up including:
Symptoms remained for one worker who had to be referred to his doctor for treatment.
After the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation it was found that there had been non compliance in relation to management of substances hazardous to health. An emergency situation had not been prepared for by the company, and they had not carried out a suitable assessment.
Equipment provided to the workers was also flawed, and the correct filter was not fitted onto the RPE which meant that they did not fully protect against the hydrofluoric acid gas. The seal from the RPE was also not tested and the workers were unshaven which can lead to an ineffective seal.
The company were fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £9,551 after pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Berenice Ray, HSE inspector speaking after the hearing, said:
"This incident could have so easily been avoided had the company firstly undertaken a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and then implemented the necessary controls, including emergency arrangements for dealing with a chemical spill and the provision of instruction and supervision to ensure safe working practices are followed."
