HSE on the Warpath?

Two recent prosecutions by HSE against companies who failed to protect their workers from exposure to harmful substances shows that they are still targeting Exposure Controls (LEV) – and the lack of them.

First up was a Furniture manufacturer who were fined £8000 with £1000 costs for exposing their employees to significant quantities of hard wood dust, a hazardous substance known to cause occupational asthma and nasal cancer.

The second case was against a Design and manufacturing company (£12,000 fine; £6,000 costs) after an employee developed occupational asthma as a result of inhaling fumes from a soldering operation.  Most soldering involves fluxes containing Rosin or Colophony, which is a known asthmagen.