Thursday, November 15, 2012

Defence company ordered to pay £376,000 for safety failings that caused a fatal explosion

A defence company has been ordered to pay £376,000 for safety failings that caused a fatal explosion at its factory.

A 37-year-old worker was killed from injuries sustained in the blast. He was emptying industrial ovens that contained high levels of nitroglycerin (NG) that exploded, destroying the factory building.

The company had realized in 2004 that their process for curing pellets as part of the production of military flares produced the explosive chemical as a by-product. None of the company's management team were competent to deal with the issue, and they did not seek external assistance.

Their failure to properly assess and manage the risks put workers and the public in danger. A second explosion occurred in 2008 when the company attempted to dismantle the remaining NG contaminated oven.

HSE inspector Qamar Khan said: "Both explosions were foreseeable and preventable had the company sought and taken appropriate advice and implemented the correct measures."

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Source: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2012/rnn-se-20412.htm?eban=rss-

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