Cambridge firm and consultant fined over chemical exposure 23 January 2013

Cambridge instrument firm Prior Scientific Instruments and a health and safety consultant have both been fined for failing to protect employees from hazardous chemicals.

The court was told that paint sprayer Adam Coventon, 36, is no longer able to work, having been exposed to "harmful substances" at the firm.

It heard that his job was to prepare and paint small components for scientific instruments, which involved working with trichloroethylene and paints containing isocyanates.

An investigation by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) found that Prior Scientific Instruments did not provide suitable equipment to remove fumes from the workplace, especially where items were left to dry.

The agency also found that the company failed to provide employees with the requisite health surveillance for workers using hazardous substances.

In addition, the court learned that Prior Scientific Instruments employed Keith Whiting, trading as KW Consultants, as a health and safety consultant, but he failed to provide suitable advice.

Prior Scientific Instruments was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,852 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Keith Whiting was fined £1,500 with costs of £1,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(2) of the same legislation.

"Prior Scientific Instruments failed to ensure the health of its employees, because it employed the wrong person to give it health and safety advice," states HSE inspector Robert Meardon.

"In 2010, the government commissioned Lord Young to review health and safety laws and, among the findings, the inquiry recognised that there were a lot of people claiming to be health and safety experts, who were in fact, not," he continues.

"The national register of health and safety consultants has been set up as a result. All the consultants who are registered are members of a recognised professional body, and it is important that firms seeking to use a consultant choose one from the register."

Brian Tinham

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