Worker suffers life-threatening injuries after drum explodes

Company fined £660,000 for health and safety failings after employee suffers complex head and brain injuries

A KENT company which supplies road safety products has been fined after a worker suffered life-threatening injuries when a drum he was working on exploded.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how 41-year-old Andrew Foster, an employee of Highway Care Ltd, was using a plasma cutter to cut up a drum that had previously contained a flammable substance.

Mr Foster suffered life-threatening injuries when the drum exploded in his face causing complex head and brain injuries. He has permanently lost vision in his right eye and now has very limited vision in his left eye.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on 6 August 2012, found that the company failed to ensure the health and safety of its employees.

Maidstone-based Highway Care Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and were fined £660,000 and ordered to pay costs of £33,358.

HSE Inspector Caroline Fullman said: ‘Andrew Foster has been left with devastating injuries that will impact on the rest of his and his family’s lives. This incident could have resulted in a fatality.

‘If a welding torch or plasma cutter is used on a tank or drum that has contained or contains a flammable substance, it can explode. It only takes a small amount of residue to create a potentially flammable atmosphere.’

She added: ‘Mr Foster wants others to learn of the risk of hot work on drums and tanks – he was previously unaware of the risk.’