Use of highly flammable liquids leads to a DSEAR fine for paper company

A paper coating company has been fined after a worker suffered burns following a fire on a coating machine. Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court heard how an Olympic Varnish Company Limited employee suffered burn injuries following a fire caused by the use of highly flammable liquid to clean rollers on a coating machine.

An investigation by the HSE into the incident found that the company did not ensure that risks from the use of highly flammable liquids were eliminated or reduced across a number of areas of that activity. There was an absence of a suitable safe system of work as well as a lack of suitable training.

Olympic Varnish Company Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6 (1) of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 and has been fined £16,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,505.40. The DSEAR fine was awarded after an operative was injured by a fire resulting from the use of highly flammable liquids used for cleaning rollers.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE principal inspector Andrew Kingscott said:

Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to inform, instruct, and train their workers in that safe system of working. In this case, if a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the serious injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.

If you wish to avoid a similar DSEAR fine, then you need to assess the risks, put control measures in place, and train your workers. If you need help with this, please contact us.