Firm fined for failing control wood dust risk

Date:

26 May 2011

Release No:

COISE/1705

A Southampton-based decking company has been sentenced after failure to control the risks of exposure to wood dust and adhesives at its Totton plant.

Millbrook Furnishing Industries Limited was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to control or assess the substances which are known to cause ill health and severe allergic reactions between August 2006 and April 2008.

The firm build hot tub deckings at its Calmore Industrial Estate site using Western Red Cedar wood, bonded with isocyanate-based glue.

Southampton Crown Court heard HSE investigated after a Millbrook employee suffered anaphylactic shock in February 2007 and reported the incident to the safety watchdog months later.

The 45-year-old worker was taken to hospital with severe breathing difficulties after using an adhesive and being exposed to wood dust while sanding frames at the site but Millbrook Industries failed to carry out its own investigation into the cause of the employee's ill-health.

The firm continued to use the same materials despite not assessing the risk of using isocyanate glues and Western Red Cedar wood, or taking the necessary preventative measures.

It failed to identify materials likely to cause allergic reactions and provided no health surveillance for employees building the hot tub decking. HSE Inspectors also found that local exhaust ventilation was inadequate to control exposure to the harmful wood dust and glue vapours. Protective face masks were provided on the site, however these were not always worn.

For months the company continued to place employees at risk until HSE was approached in October 2007 by the employee who had taken ill. Enforcement notices were then served.

HSE Inspector Dennis MacWilliam said:

"In this case, a lack of understanding regarding the hazards associated with adhesives and wood dust, plus a clear failure to control exposure meant Millbrook Industries failed in it duty to its employees.

"Not conducting a risk assessment meant the firm did not identify which employees were exposed to these substances and in turn employees were not told about the risks of working with such substances.

"Staff had access to overalls, gloves and masks on site, but unbelievably there was no training, guidance or rules provided regarding their use.

"Work of this nature must be properly planned and an effective and safe system needs to be in place to protect workers when exposing them to isocyanates and wood dust. Had this been done then employees' health would not have been put at risk."

Millbrook Furnishing Industries Limited of Nutsey Lane, Calmore Industrial Estate, Totton, Southampton, pleaded guilty to breaching to section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined a total of £27,000 and ordered to pay costs of £25,000

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. For more information about the work of HSE, visit www.hse.gov.uk
2. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
3. Information on risk assessments can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/index.htm

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