In Lincolnshire, a company has been fined £200,000 after a trucker suffered chemical burns to his feet, mistakenly thinking he was standing in rainwater.
The incident occurred during a delivery at Tronox Pigment UK Limited’s Laporte Road site in Stallingborough, Grimsby, on August 9, 2022.
Believing he was in a rainwater puddle due to the day’s rain and blocked drains, the driver was, in fact, standing in a pool of water containing caustic, a corrosive chemical. The resulting burns necessitated skin grafts on both feet and the amputation of two toes. His recovery prevented him from working for 12 weeks.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that Tronox Pigment UK Limited inadequately responded to the risk of chemical leakage, caused by the failure of the site’s sump pumps and drainage system. Chemicals leaked onto the road because the pumps failed to remove them, exposing drivers to the hazard.
The company, located at Laporte Road, Stallingborough, Grimsby, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations. In a court hearing on September 15, 2023, at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court, they were fined £200,000 and ordered to pay £7,500 in costs.
C**ts