Danish multinational brewer Carlsberg has been fined £3 million after a contractor died and another was seriously injured following an ammonia gas leak at one of its UK breweries in 2016. The HSE announced the fine on June 28 after a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court.
The incident happened at Carlsberg’s site in Northampton. An investigation by the HSE found Carlsberg hadn’t put proper controls in place. Father-of-two David Chandler, 45, was killed and David Beak, now 57, was seriously injured.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that at its Northampton brewery, Carlsberg had failed to put in place appropriate isolation controls to prevent exposure to ammonia before work started to remove a compressor from a refrigeration system. The Principal Contractor for the project was Crowley Carbon UK Ltd, which had appointed numerous contractors to assist in the works.
On 9 November 2016 while the compressor was being removed, there was a large, uncontrolled release of ammonia. David Chandler and David Beak were both employees of sub-contractor Speedrite NE Ltd. Twenty people needed hospital checks after showing symptoms of ammonia exposure. It was several days before the leak was contained and gas levels dropped to a safe level.
Carlsberg Supply Company UK Ltd, which was summonsed under its new company name of Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company, pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company was fined £3 million with costs of £90,000.
In a statement, Mr Chandler’s family said: “We welcome the conclusion of the prosecution case against Carlsberg UK Supply Company Ltd following the death of David five and half years ago. As a family we will never fully accept the death of David in such tragic but preventable circumstances and the legal process involved has been emotionally exhausting as well as frustrating given the length of time which has lapsed since the accident.
“We are pleased that improvements have been made at Carlsberg’s site in Northampton which will hopefully ensure no other families suffer the anguish we have endured since November 2016 when the failings at the brewery resulted in the deadly release of ammonia gas which caused David’s death.
HSE principal inspector Samantha Wells said: “Industry guidance on safe isolation of plant should have been followed. This would have ensured that a higher level of isolation was in place, for prevention of exposure to this highly toxic and flammable substance.
“Both the client, Carlsberg, and the Principal Contractor should have worked together to ensure that the risk was adequately
