Toxic gas exposure kills worker

Open-access content Monday 1st August 2016

From the archive: Just so you know, this article is more than 3 years old.

Karl Brader, 50, was an employee at Herbs in a Bottle, Leicester Crown Court heard. He was using cleaning chemicals to wash down a changing room when he inhaled a toxic gas, likely to have been chlorine. He died at the scene.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on 2 September 2014, found that Brader was not trained in the safe use of chemicals. Herbs in a Bottle had not carried out a Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessment.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act and Regulation 6(1)(a) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, which covers suitable and sufficient risk assessments. It was fined £45,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £4,842.

HSE inspector Stephen Farthing said: "Karl Brader had not received any training in the safe use of hazardous chemicals and as a result died from the exposure to a toxic gas. Companies should ensure that they assess all the risks associated with the use of dangerous chemical and that exposure to their employees is either eliminated or minimised."

Construction PC fined £120k over service riser fall

Thursday 28th July 2016

Meldrum Construction Services (MCS) was the principle contractor for the refurbishment work at premises in Percy Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. On 6 July 2015, a worker stepped on to a temporary wooden platform on the first floor riser. The platform collapsed and the worker fell 4.5 m, spraining both his ankles.

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Faruk Patel was found guilty of gross negligent manslaughter. CREDIT: Leicestershire Police

Jailed site manager refused to accept responsibility for worker’s death

Wednesday 27th July 2016

Faruk Patel told police that workers at the site in Leicester could take care of themselves and were aware of the dangers, adding that 40 year-old Tasadaq Ur-Rehman was responsible for his own death.Patel, from Leicester, had no experience of managing construction sites.

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Spray coater stuck to pipe 'like Velcro'

Tuesday 26th July 2016

Andrew Fraser, employed by Gemini Corrosion Services, became stuck to the pipe inside the aluminum coating machine on 17 September 2014.The company, which provides protective corrosion services for drill pipes used in the oil and gas industry, treats the surfaces of the pipes before they are sprayed with molten aluminium as they rotate. Speaking at Forfar Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Gavin Callaghan said the texture of the pipe that Fraser became caught on was “similar to coarse sandpaper".

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Inadequately guarded conveyor severed worker’s arm

Monday 8th August 2016

Bristol Crown Court heard that the Concrete Fabrications employee, who wants to remain anonymous, was adjusting tension rods to rectify the misaligned conveyor. The bars were inside the machine’s guard, close to the conveyor belt and rotating tail pulley. Aggregate had built up on the tension rods and he attempted to knock it off with a hammer, but it was caught by the rotating machinery. The worker’s arm was dragged in and severed between the shoulder and elbow.

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Welder crushed by falling marine door

Monday 18th July 2016

Richard Blake, 63, was a welder and fabricator for Point Engineering which designs doors and hatches. In February 2014 Blake was positioning the marine hatch ready for inspection. He used a sling and overhead crane to move it to a vertical position so a surveyor could stamp the hinge with an approval mark.The door fell on to Blake, trapping his pelvis and legs. His pelvis was shattered and he sustained a broken hip.

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Chemicals

Hazardous substances

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