Builder sentenced after failures led to a gas explosion
A sole trader has received a suspended sentence and will be required to complete unpaid work after a gas explosion left a worker with serious burns.
The sole trader had contracted a man to carry out refurbishment works on a property in Bulwell. As part of those works, the sole trader had placed a faulty portable space heater that was connected to a propane gas (LPG) cylinder in the property’s cellar to dry out damp.
On 22 November 2022, a gas leak from the heater resulted in a violent explosion. This caused the 51-year-old man to suffer severe burn injuries to his hands, legs, face and scalp. Footage taken in the immediate aftermath shows the extent of the damage caused to the property. Explosion debris were also propelled onto the pavement and a residential road, putting members of the public at risk.
An HSE investigation found that the sole trader had failed to carry out a risk assessment and had not provided suitable and adequately maintained equipment for the work being undertaken.
The manufacturer’s instructions for the heater clearly state that it is only for use in well-ventilated areas and that LPG cylinders should not be kept below ground. This is because the gas is heavier than air and will collect at the lower level if there is a leak.
Breach
The sole trader pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998:
- Regulation 4(3) requires that employers ensure work equipment is only used for operations for which, and under conditions for which, it is suitable.
Penalty
The sole trader was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, was ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work in the community and required to pay costs of £2,000.
Oil and gas operator fined following incident on platform
An oil and gas operator has received a six-figure fine after three crew members descended into a water filled lift shaft on a floating platform in the North Sea.
On the night of 10 December 2020, the workers were descending in a lift located in one of the platform legs on the FPF-1 facility. During the descent, water started to flood into the lift before they reached the bottom of the shaft. The trio were knee-deep in water by the time the lift was stopped by the workers via the emergency button.
An HSE investigation found the three men had been tasked with carrying out inspection work at the base of one of the facility’s sub-sea columns. During preparations to clear the inspection site of standing water beforehand, failings of hardware and incorrect operating procedures caused the bottom of the lift shaft to begin filling with water. Due to a lack of water alarms in the bottom of the lift shaft, the control room was unaware that water was filling the shaft.
As the three men descended in the lift, they experienced a ‘rush of air’ before their fears were confirmed when the base of the lift made contact with the water. The three men were able to press an emergency stop button and returned safely to the main deck, with none of them sustaining any injuries.
The investigation found that water marks on the lift door revealed it had reached a level of just under 1.5 metres before the lift was stopped and returned to the surface. The company’s own investigation determined that the water level could have actually reached more than three metres, meaning the men could have found it difficult to escape through the top hatch of the lift.
The HSE issued Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited with an improvement notice and work in confined spaces was stopped by the company until February 2021 to allow a full review to take place.
Breach
Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited, the owner of FPF-1, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Section 33(1)(a) to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974:
Penalty
Ithaca Energy (UK) Limited was fined £300,000.
Company fined after a radiographer was exposed to ionising radiation
Fines have been issued against a multinational company after a radiographer was overexposed to ionising radiation.
In December 2020, the 69-year-old man had been working for Mistras Group Limited at its former site in Hartlepool. The company was notified by their approved dosimetry service that he had received a dose in excess of legal limits. The HSE was also notified.
The incident happened when a gamma-emitting radioactive source used for radiography had not returned to its shielded container. Due to poor compliance with the company’s own radiation safety protocols, this was not identified promptly, resulting in radiation overexposure to the radiographer.
The HSE investigation found that pre-use safety checks had not been completed and recorded by the radiographer. These are key stages in confirming that radiography systems are operating correctly and ensuring the safe use of equipment. Electronic Personal Dosemeters (EPD’s) and radiation monitors had been provided by the company but were not being used by the radiographer.
The HSE investigation also found there had been a number of failings made by the company to ensure employees were following its rules and procedures for radiation protection. The company had received previous enforcement action by HSE for similar failings.
Breach
Mistras Group Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9(1) and Regulation 12(1) of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017:
- Regulation 9(1) requires employers to take all necessary steps to restrict, so far as is reasonably practicable, the extent to which its employees and other persons are exposed to ionising radiation.
- Regulation 12(1) requires employers to ensure employees and other classified persons under Schedule 3 are not exposed to ionising radiation to the extent that any relevant class dose limit(s) is exceeded in any calendar year.
Penalty
Mistras Group Limited was fined £26,000 and ordered to pay £11,353 in costs.
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