Failure To Protect Worker From Western Red Cedar Dust And Glue Vapour Costs Firm £52,000

A serious incident at a company who built hot tub deckings using Western Red Cedar wood has led to the business receiving heavy fines.

HSE investigated the Southampton-based company after an employee had suffered anaphylactic shock in February 2007 and later reported the incident. 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.

The firm failed to carry out its own investigation into the cause of the employee's ill-health and 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 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.

HSE Inspector Dennis MacWilliam said, "Work of this nature must be properly planned and an effective and safe system needs to be in place to protect workers when exposing them to isocyanates and wood dust. Had this been done then employees' health would not have been put at risk."

The company pleaded guilty to breaching to section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined a total of £27,000 and ordered to pay costs of £25,000.