Coatings firm in court for legionella failings
Chromalloy UK Limited failed to properly manage the risk of bacteria growing in their cooling towers for over a year, from May 2011. If water is inhaled which contains the bacteria, it can lead to a number of diseases, but most commonly legionnaire’s disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia.
Several notices were served requiring Chromalloy to maintain its infrastructure and keep biocides at effective levels. They failed to comply.
Chromalloy UK Limited of Linkmel Road, Eastwood, was fined a total of £110,000 (£55,000 for each breach) with £77,252 in costs after admitting breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Woodham Ferrers firm fined for ignoring safety law
An Essex firm has been fined a total of £15,000 for repeatedly failing to have its systems on its local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system for extracting wood dust and lifting equipment on its rider operated trucks thoroughly examined.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Welsted Joinery Ltd today at Chelmsford Magistrates Court and told the court previous enforcement notices had been issued on these matters and others over a period of ten years identified in a number of inspection visits to the company.
Welsted Joinery Ltd of 31 Cutlers Road, South Woodham Ferrers pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulation 9(3) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and one breach of Regulation 9(2) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
It was fined £5000 for each offence and ordered to pay total costs of £2240.50
Polythene firm sentenced over employee’s life changing injuries
British Polythene Ltd has been fined a total of £40,000 for serious safety breaches after an employee was badly injured when he became trapped in a machine.
Chester Crown Court heard the worker’s upper body was trapped for over a minute before being freed by colleagues, during which time he received injuries to his kidney, spleen and lungs. He was taken to hospital, where he spent three days in intensive care, and has lost function of one kidney.
The company had previously identified a risk relating to winding machinery and had implemented the correct control measures. HSE told the court that had the same approach been applied to this machine, the employee’s life-changing injuries could have been prevented.
British Polythene Ltd of One, London Wall, London pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3 (1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The company was fined £20,000 for each breach and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £10,033.
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