13 February 2020
A molten metal company has been fined after an employee suffered severe burns from an explosion incident at the worksite. The employee was manually loading a foundry furnace with metal charge when a wet piece of solid molten metal generated an explosion. Molten metal was ejected from the furnace, causing several burns to the employee’s torso and hand. Further investigation revealed that the company failed to ensure the metal charge was stored in a dry location, which led to the wet pieces of molten metal. In addition, the company did not enforce appropriate personal protective equipment requirements for the employee.
As a result, the company was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,544.90, plus a court surcharge of £170.00.
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