Chemical burns firm finedRSS Feed
A chemical company has been prosecuted after an accident at work led to a worker suffering toxic burns to his head and chest.
The employee was mixing two chemicals together at Abacus Chemical Ltd's Ellesmere Port factory when they exploded, drenching him in a hot, toxic mixture.
Abacus was found to have mixed 22kg of sodium cyanide pellets with hydrogen peroxide to make them less toxic, thereby avoiding the cost of disposal.
In a case brought jointly by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Environment Agency, Abacus was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £14,000 in prosecution costs.
HSE investigator Dr Jo-Anne Michael said the firm should have carried out a risk assessment, issued protective clothing and monitored the reaction process to prevent an explosion.
She added: "A man has suffered permanent scarring and others have been put at risk of breathing in toxic fumes, because Abacus failed to take the appropriate measures for handling chemicals."
The news comes as the HSE launches an intensive week of inspections at industrial estates in Saltash from next Monday (February 14th).
Accident claims advice from Serious Law
Posted by M E Dixon 
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