Head protection could have averted disaster

Personal protective equipment such as head protection and eye protection may have averted an injury at a Wirral factory, which has just been fined £13,485 by the Health and Safety Executive.

Dean Moore, 39, was unblocking equipment that contained lithium chloride at FMC Chemicals, despite only being employed as a temporary worker and not having received the necessary training for the task.

He had assumed that the pipes were clear, but the steam-heated chemical poured out and caused permanent scarring to his neck and shoulders.

The company was in the process of restructuring its safety management procedures as a result of earlier enforcement notices, but on this occasion had neglected to implement basic precautions.

'I thought safety measures were in place but obviously they weren't,' commented Mr Moore.

It follows news that a Gateshead building company has been prosecuted after an employee tragically fell to his death, which may have been averted with fall arrest equipment.

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