Fuel Injection Company Fined for Health and Safety Oversight
A diesel fuel injection company was fined due to a worker injury. A worker caught fire at the Derbyshire company when working with fuel injection. The apprentice mechanic was 23 at the time of the incident. He had been with the company for 18 months. Unfortunately, he and one other worker were hurt in 2009, when they burnt rubbish in an old barrel. One employee tried to get the fire going by pouring waste fuel into the barrel with the rubbish. This started an explosion.
The apprentice did cover his face, but his overalls caught fire meaning his arms, neck, and hands were burnt. The HSE was brought in for health and safety audits of the incident to determine the cause and if fault lay with the company. The results showed that the company did not offer a safe system for the work at hand. This led to issues with the handling, storing, and use of flammable chemicals.
One individual spoke at the court hearing, stating that the incident and injuries were inevitable. Fuel is something that should never be added to fire. Waste fuel needs to be drained into a sealed container and put in storage until it is properly disposed of. The company failed to conduct proper workstation risk assessments that led to the injuries of two employees. The company did not comply with section 2(1) of the health and safety act. This is why they will pay £12,000 in fines and costs.
