Spalding firm fined after agency workers harmed

Date:

2 March 2011

Release No:

HSE/EM/157/11

A company has today been fined after three workers were taken to hospital following a chemical incident at a Spalding vegetable grower and supplier.

Spalding Magistrates' Court heard that on 11 September 2009, a Latvian agency worker at Emmett UK Ltd was cleaning food processing machinery when he accidentally mixed two cleaning chemicals which reacted together to produce a toxic gas. The factory was evacuated and three workers were taken to hospital with breathing difficulties, although all were back at work within days.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which brought the prosecution against Emmett UK Ltd, found that the company had failed to provide suitable and sufficient information and instruction to the worker about the risks from the incorrect use of chemicals.

HSE inspector Jo Anderson said:

"This incident was entirely preventable had the company ensured that all agency workers were given adequate information, instruction and training.

"Our investigation also showed that there was almost no consideration given to the fact that some of the workers spoke very little English. As a direct result, three workers were taken to hospital for treatment and were lucky not to be more seriously harmed."

Emmett UK Ltd of Washway Road, Fosdyke, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 12 (1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 and was fined £8,500 at Spalding Magistrates' Court. It was also ordered to pay full costs of £2,478.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Regulation 12 (1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 states: Every employer who undertakes work which is liable to expose an employee to a substance hazardous to health shall provide that employee with suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training.

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