Teesside company fined £224,000

A Teesside chemical manufacturing company has been fined £224,000 and ordered to pay costs of £17,098 after failing to manage the risk of exposure to chemicals harmful to health.  Workers regularly exposed to the chemicals, which can cause sensitisation of the skin, from October 2013 to December 2016. They suffered rashes and in some cases were unable to continue working at the site.  An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, failed to prevent the release of hazardous substances, failed to prevent spread of contamination, failed to properly decontaminate and failed to have in place an effective system of health surveillance.