A company has been fined following a HSE investigation into an incident which left a worker with serious burns when his clothing caught fire.
Bradford Crown Court heard how an employee of Batley Foundry Limited was undertaking work involving the use of isopropanol and a paint-like solution. The bucket containing the solution caught fire which, in turn, set light to his clothes, causing serious burns.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred back in August 2014, found that the company failed to provide adequate training, work equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Batley Foundry Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £15,000 and was also ordered to pay costs totally £9,000.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector John Boyle said: “A worker was left with serious injuries as a result of this incident. Had the company taken a number of simple measures prior to the work activity taking place – such as the provision of suitable work equipment, training and personal protective equipment – then it may well have been avoided.”
Lara Murray an associate and health and safety expert with Palmers, said: “This case involved a company which, due to the nature of its business, engaged in high risk practices on a regular basis and should therefore have been well aware of the health and safety procedures it needed to have in place to protect its workers.
“This serious incident illustrates the need to regularly conduct health and safety reviews to help ensure that any loopholes are tightened and any lapses in procedure are identified and acted upon.”
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