Firm fined for failing control wood dust risk
A Southampton-based decking company has been sentenced after failure to control the risks of exposure to wood dust and adhesives at its Totton plant.
The company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to control or assess the substances which are known to cause ill health and severe allergic. The firm build hot tub deckings at its site using Western Red Cedar wood, bonded with isocyanate-based glue.
An employee suffered anaphylactic shock and reported the incident to the safety watchdog months later. The 45-year-old worker was taken to hospital with severe breathing difficulties after using an adhesive and being exposed to wood dust while sanding frames at the site but the company failed to carry out its own investigation into the cause of the employee's ill-health.
The firm continued to use the same materials despite not assessing the risk of using isocyanate glues and Western Red Cedar wood, or taking the necessary preventative measures.
It failed to identify materials likely to cause allergic reactions and provided no health surveillance for employees building the hot tub decking. HSE Inspectors also found that local exhaust ventilation was inadequate to control exposure to the harmful wood dust and glue vapours. Protective face masks were provided on the site, however these were not always worn.
The company was fined a total of £27,000 and ordered to pay costs of £25,000
Updated on 9/13/2011