A Chester glass container manufacturer has been fined for serious safety breaches after two employees were injured in a flash fire. Encirc Ltd was prosecuted by the HSE following an incident in Chester on the 14 May 2014.
Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard two employee fitters working in the mould shop suffered burns to their face and heads when a gas canister exploded.
It was said that while the employees were welding pieces on work benches, with flammable aerosols stored around them, a gas canister exploded causing a flash fire and injuring the men.
The HSE investigation also found that oxyacetylene welding was also taking place in the area, giving rise to a further risk of fire and explosion and putting other employees at risk. They found that no risk assessment had been carried out and no instruction was given to operatives in relation to the storage and use of flammable aerosols on work benches in the mould shop.
The company pleaded guilty and was fined £18,000.
The HSE Inspector on the case commented that the case highlights the fact that a failure to properly assess the risks within a workplace and take effective remedial action can lead to poor practices developing and employees being injured.
