Worker with inadequately tested and poorly maintained safety footwear suffers life changing injuries leading to £3.8m fine for employer
The Health and Safety Executive recently reported that a worker had sustained serious burns after stepping in a puddle of caustic soda that resulted in his leg being amputated below the knee.
The press release stated that “the safety boots he had been provided with were not in good condition and did not provide adequate protection against the chemical, and had not been sufficiently tested against British Standards”. The employer, a chemical manufacturing company, was fined £3.8 million.
See the press release here:
Chemical company fined £3.8 million after investigation into serious chemical burns suffered by two employees – HSE Media Centre
There were other contributory factors but primarily this is a horrendous example of what can happen when inadequately specified, sourced and poorly maintained PPE fails to protect a worker. The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) works hard to inform and educate employers, duty holders and workers about best practice for specifying, sourcing and using PPE to prevent accidents like this occurring.
In light of this serious incident and with the recent focus placed on non compliant footwear, BSIF recently released a short video on dangerous non-compliant safety footwear being sold online in the UK, please use this press release to help educate your customers. It could help prevent more accidents like this.
Watch the video here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trFGtUwvvxI