Worker suffers burns to 30% of his body while trying to repair a pump, drinks manufacturer fined £500K
An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, has determined that Diageo’s Glenlossie Distillery Complex could have prevented the severe injuries sustained by an employee. The incident happened in March 2021 while a mechanical engineer was attempting to repair a defective pump at the company’s facility in Elgin. Pot ale, which had a temperature of 104° C, shot out unexpectedly from a pipe, burning the employee. The worker sustained burns to over 30% of his body, including his arms, hands, shoulders, back, chest, lower legs, and ankles. The mechanical engineer ended up spending two weeks in intensive care where he was placed in an induced coma.
During its investigation, the HSE found that the drinks manufacturer failed to do all that was reasonably practicable to ensure maintenance operations could be carried out without a worker being put at risk of injury. Diageo Scotland Limited, of Lochside Place, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(c), 33(1)(a) and 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £500,000 at Inverness Sheriff Court on 16 December 2024.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, HSE inspector Isabelle Martin said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by ensuring that procedures were in place to ensure that changes to work equipment installed in the plant were safe. However, more importantly Diageo should have had procedures in place to ensure that plant could be isolated safely and prevent the release of hazardous and dangerous substances. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
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