04/01/2011 - Firms fined over worker's death
A worker was engulfed in flames and suffered burns to the majority of his body when aerosol cannisters caught fire at a scrapyard, a court has heard.
Mark Wright suffered 90% burns and died following the incident at Deeside Metal Company Ltd in 2005, Caernarfon Crown Court heard.
The court was told how the cannisters had not been clearly labelled or separated from less hazardous waste by Jeyes UK who had delivered them to the scrapyard.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Deeside Metal Company Ltd, of Saltney, Chester, and Jeyes UK Ltd, of Bromfield Industrial Estate, Mold, for failing to have proper controls in place to manage the extremely flammable materials that led to the 37-year-old's death.
A separate health and safety charge was also brought by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) against the manager of Deeside Metal Company Ltd, Mr Robert Roberts.
The court was told the manager of Deeside Metal Co, Robert Roberts, instructed Mr Wright to crush the canisters in a metal baler. When the baler was activated, a canister caught fire, engulfing Mr Wright in flames.
Neither company had carried out suitable risk assessments before allowing workers to handle potentially hazardous materials such as aerosols, and both had failed to train or monitor staff in their disposal.
Deeside Metal Company Ltd pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.
Jeyes UK Ltd pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £330,000 with £50,000 costs.
Robert Roberts pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £10,000.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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