Craig Bragdy Design Ltd., of Denbigh, was fined £58,271 (inc. costs) after 9 employees were found to have excessive levels of lead in their blood.
The circumstances were:
- Lead was used in a colour glaze in the tiles made by the company.
- The company had not carried out a risk assessment on the use of lead
- The company failed to carry out measurements of the concentration of lead in the air
- The company failed to provide medical surveillance
- The company failed to provide employees with sufficient information and training
Following a routine visit by the HSE in February 2012:
- 3 female workers were found to have a blood lead level above the suspension limit, meaning that they needed to have other duties until the level subsided
- 5 female and 1 male workers were found to have a blood lead level above the action level which indicates that a person is approaching the suspension level, which should trigger an investigation as to why this should be so.
The HSE Inspector said:
“The effects of high levels of lead in the blood can be very damaging, especially for pregnant women or those planning to have babies. Craig Bragdy Design could easily have avoided exposing its workforce to this chronic toxin by following the regulations, having a proper risk assessment and making sure staff were monitored for lead in their blood on a regular basis. Workers should not have to sacrifice their health for their jobs and this is why it’s vital that employers act on the regulations.”
Strategic Safety Systems Ltd., provides services that include:
- Risk assessments of substances hazardous to health
- Recommendations on control measures
- Air sampling
- The organisation of health monitoring
More details can be found on http://www.strategicsafety.co.uk/Health&SafetyServices.html
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