Property maintenance firm fined after employee suffers burns
09:15 - 07/03/2011
Property maintenance firm fined after...
A property maintenance firm based in Greater Manchester has been fined £5,000 after one of its employees was badly burned by sulphuric acid while carrying out plumbing work.
City Response Ltd were charged with breaching the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) for the incident, which occurred on 18th December 2009. They were ordered to pay court costs of £2,965 in addition to their fine.
Trafford Magistrate’s Court heard how 52-year-old Neil Kelly, an employee of City Response Ltd, had been using a high concentration of sulphuric acid to unblock a sink at a domestic property.
The corrosive chemical erupted into an exothermic explosion when it came into contact with water, hitting the ceiling and showering back down onto him. The acid scorched through Mr. Kelly’s paper overalls and left him with extensive burns on his face, neck and arm. He was off work for more than two months as a result.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that City Response Ltd, of Oldham Broadway Business Park in Chadderton, had not provided Mr Kelly with appropriate protective clothing, sufficient training on how to safely use the hazardous substance, or adequate supervision.
Commenting on the case, the investigating HSE Inspector, Sarah Taylor, said: “City Response allowed one of its employees to use dangerous chemicals without anyone making sure he was working safely. As a result, he suffered severe acid burns to his face and body.
“The company should have made sure he used appropriate protective clothing, instead of the paper overalls which were dissolved by the acid. He should also have received training on using the chemical.”
First Response Training can offer a COSHH Awareness training course, among a wide range of other health and safety training courses, to enable employers and their staff to work safely and avoid serious injury.
Perry Leeks, Managing Director at First Response, says: “Our COSHH Awareness course provides staff members with an overview and understanding of the key principles of working safely with potentially hazardous substances.
“Legislative requirements are covered as well as guidance for dealing with substances hazardous to health which are commonly found in the workplace. In addition to this, dependent on student numbers, it may also be possible to consider specific substances used by your workforce.
“Receiving proper training about how to keep safe in the workplace can help employees to feel confident and valued. Most importantly, it allows employers to create and maintain a safe working environment with minimal accidents and downtime.”
For further information on any of First Response’s health and safety training courses, please call free phone 0800 310 2300 today.
City Response Ltd were charged with breaching the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) for the incident, which occurred on 18th December 2009. They were ordered to pay court costs of £2,965 in addition to their fine.
Trafford Magistrate’s Court heard how 52-year-old Neil Kelly, an employee of City Response Ltd, had been using a high concentration of sulphuric acid to unblock a sink at a domestic property.
The corrosive chemical erupted into an exothermic explosion when it came into contact with water, hitting the ceiling and showering back down onto him. The acid scorched through Mr. Kelly’s paper overalls and left him with extensive burns on his face, neck and arm. He was off work for more than two months as a result.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that City Response Ltd, of Oldham Broadway Business Park in Chadderton, had not provided Mr Kelly with appropriate protective clothing, sufficient training on how to safely use the hazardous substance, or adequate supervision.
Commenting on the case, the investigating HSE Inspector, Sarah Taylor, said: “City Response allowed one of its employees to use dangerous chemicals without anyone making sure he was working safely. As a result, he suffered severe acid burns to his face and body.
“The company should have made sure he used appropriate protective clothing, instead of the paper overalls which were dissolved by the acid. He should also have received training on using the chemical.”
First Response Training can offer a COSHH Awareness training course, among a wide range of other health and safety training courses, to enable employers and their staff to work safely and avoid serious injury.
Perry Leeks, Managing Director at First Response, says: “Our COSHH Awareness course provides staff members with an overview and understanding of the key principles of working safely with potentially hazardous substances.
“Legislative requirements are covered as well as guidance for dealing with substances hazardous to health which are commonly found in the workplace. In addition to this, dependent on student numbers, it may also be possible to consider specific substances used by your workforce.
“Receiving proper training about how to keep safe in the workplace can help employees to feel confident and valued. Most importantly, it allows employers to create and maintain a safe working environment with minimal accidents and downtime.”
For further information on any of First Response’s health and safety training courses, please call free phone 0800 310 2300 today.
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