Firm fined £5,000 for acid-blast injuries
Date published: 04 March 2011
INJURED . . . worker Neil Kelly suffered severe burns to his face and body
A CHADDERTON firm has been fined after one of it’s workers was severely scolded in an acid explosion.
City Response Ltd, a property-maintenance firm based at Broadway Business Park, was ordered to pay the £5,000 fine after failing to safeguard workers from hazardous substances.
Employee Neil Kelly (52), from Bury, was using a high concentration of sulphuric acid to unblock a sink at a property in Heywood in December, when the toxic mix erupted.
It happened as he reached over the sink to turn on the tap, mixing it with water and causing an exothermic explosion.
The corrosive liquid burst into the air and rained down from the ceiling, burning through his paper overalls.
He was off work for more than two months because of the extent of his injuries.
Trafford magistrates heard that the worker had not been given appropriate protective clothing, training or supervision on how to safely use the sink unblocker, which was made up of 96 per cent sulphuric acid.
The company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) yesterday.
City Response Ltd admitted breaching Regulation 7(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 by not adequately controlling the exposure of workers to hazardous chemicals.
Sarah Taylor, the investigating inspector at HSE, 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.
“Property-maintenance firms must carry out regular checks on the work their employees are doing while they’re away from their normal base, especially if they’re expected to work with dangerous chemicals.”
The company were also ordered to pay £2,965 in prosecution costs.
