Health and safety audit reveals illegal use of pesticide
A farmer in Kent is going to be fined for storing and using the incorrect pesticide. He was using the illegal substance on pears. David Lewis Stevens put many people in jeopardy when he used illegal pesticide on his farm’s pears. The substance was banned in 2007, but he was still using it when the HSE conducted health and safety audits in 2010. There were major health concerns that the pesticide could cause illness, but the farmer had not discarded his supply and instead kept using it.
The HSE found many things wrong with the use and storage of the pesticide because they were not stored in a hazard container and they were all unlicensed materials on the farm. The farmer did plead guilty to the charges regarding the health and safety breach. He will have to pay £3,000 in a fine and £3,500 in court fees and additional fees.
Farmers and any other growers must take responsibility with the substances they use. They must adhere to the laws and make certain that plants, animals, humans, and the environment are safe. There is a complete list of proper procedures in terms of farming and pesticides available to farmers online at the HSE. There is no excuse for ignorance of the laws and regulations one has to follow, but it seems some are still ignoring the changes. This is one reason that the regulatory body conducts audits
