Scottish chemical company fined £100k after worker burned
He suffered burns across his back and other areas of his body as he attempted to clean a process water tank on October 23, 2019.
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The large rendering plant in Newarthill processes animal waste and food industry waste to produce proteins, fats and oils used in the chemical, fuel and feed industries.
The man was instructed to clean the process water tank during a nightshift (pictured), and was provided pressure washers and a steam hose for cleaning.
The steam hose was heavy and difficult to move, so the man and a colleague took it in turns to hold it, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.
The pair stopped to take a break after some time, before his colleague went on to carry out other duties. The 23-year-old man finished cleaning the process water tank on his own.
He did so with the aid of a small cherry picker, attaching the steam hose to its basket and raising it to the correct height.
It was at this point that the steam hose and nozzle spun round and steam began flowing into the cherry picker directly towards him.
The man quickly turned his back to prevent his face from being burned, while manipulating the nozzle of the hose away from him and lowering the basket of the cherry picker.
He then ran to one of the site's deluge showers to cool his burn injuries.
The man was taken to hospital with steam burns to multiple parts of his body, which have left permanent scars.
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A HSE investigation found that the nozzle which was fitted to the steam hose was unsafe, as it did not have a trigger or other mechanisation to allow its user to control the flow out of the nozzle.
HSE also said that the mixing valve and set-up which supplies hot water for cleaning purposes was "not maintained in an efficient working order or in good repair".
The investigation found that supervisors at the site were aware that the mixing valve was passing steam but no action was taken to investigate the issue or prevent it from happening.
The company did not hold any records associated with the maintenance of the valve, hose, or nozzle, the HSE found.
Dundas Chemical Company (Mosspark) Limited pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The company was fined £100k at Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday.
Commenting, HSE inspector Ashley Fallis said: 'Had a safe system of work been in place then this incident would not have happened.
'The lack of appropriate risk assessment, method statements, training and supervision for both the maintenance team who installed the valve, and the operators tasked with using the system, led to a situation where those involved were unaware of risks or simple control measures.
'This catalogue of failures resulted in a young man sustaining very serious burns, to which he still bears the scars to this day.
'We will not hesitate to take action against companies that fail to protect their employees.'
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