Mushroom Grower Endangers Health and Safety
A mushroom company has been fined due to a safety and health breach. According to the HSE, the company endangered workers at their factory. During health and safety audits, the HSE found the factory to be in a dangerous situation. The factory is located in Suffolk. The company housed 37 employees in an office block, but the gas boiler was found to be unsafe. The audits occurred in 2010, though the case has made its way to the courts in St. Edmundsbury.
The HSE found the heating in the living quarters to be close to the men’s toilet area. There was also no safety certificate for the boiler being serviced each year. It is a legal requirement for any boiler to be serviced each year.
There were a number of other failings for the company, such as the gates near the worker platforms and the HGV that was used to reverse between two sheds where people could be walking. Forklifts were being operated by drivers that had yet to undergo health and safety training and driver training on the equipment. The company has been ordered to pay £10,000 in fines and an additional £750 for a landlord gas safety report and thousands in court costs. The inspector stated that the entire farm was disturbing based on the number of issues that were wrong concerning safety and health. It is lucky that no one was hurt during this time.
