Fines and prosecutions Large fine for retailer’s warehouse safety failures
NEWS
OAK FURNITURELAND was fined £400,000 after Swindon Borough Council (SBC) inspectors warned that conditions in its Cheney Manor warehouse ‘were so bad there was a real risk of explosion or fire’. Swindon Advertiser reported on the case brought by SBC, which concerned breaching health and safety regulations at the facility. In 2016, SBC’s compliance team launched an investigation after a member of staff made a complaint, and found that the company was preparing room divider sheets used to partition large rooms, ‘which was not a registered activity’ at the site. Evidence pointed to the sheets
‘being prepared in a highly explosive environment’ due to the glues being used and a lack of ventilation in the building, while workers were given ‘damaged or faulty’ face masks, and were exposed to MDF (medium density fibreboard) wood dust, which can cause cancer. Conditions were said to be ‘so bad’ that officers served an immediate prohibition notice. The company’s parent firm, JB Global, ‘failed to log’ risks to employees of areas where dangerous substances were used, including solvent thinners, solvent lacquers, wood dust and combustibles; and was also accused of ‘failing to classify’ areas where explosive atmospheres might build up, contravening the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.
JB Global pleaded guilty
at Aldershot Magistrates Court last summer to six breaches of health and safety regulations, as well as to ‘failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare’ of employees. It was fined £398,000 and ordered to pay costs of £94,409. SBC said it hoped the large fine ‘served as a reminder to businesses of the need to put employees’ health and safety at the forefront of their minds’. Cathy Martyn, SBC cabinet
member for housing and public safety, commented: ‘This prosecution and subsequent penalty highlights the importance of taking steps to protect the health and safety of employees and members of the public. The uncontrolled work activities being carried out at the Cheney Manor site posed a very real risk of explosion, fire and potential long-term health conditions resulting from exposure to carcinogenic MDF dust and harmful chemicals. ‘The investigation also covered
numerous manual handling accidents and work-place transport incidents, which resulted in injuries to employees. We take breaches of health and safety laws extremely seriously and I would like to praise the diligence of our health compliance team for carrying out this complex investigation and highlighting this extremely bad practice. I hope it serves as a reminder to all businesses of the need to put the health and safety of their employees at the forefront of their activities.’
A JB Global spokeswoman
said last July after its guilty pleas: ‘We take health and safety very seriously. It is an integral part of our business and a priority at all levels. Our people are critical to our success and our focus on, and investment in, health and safety continues. We are committed to our continued work with [SBC].’ Another spokesperson added:
‘Around four years ago, in order to support the rapid growth of the business, a small workshop where parts of our shop fittings were produced was opened. Regrettably at this time certain health and safety aspects of this new workshop were not fully understood. We fully accept we could and should have done better on this aspect of our operation. We have worked with [SBC] during the investigation and look forward to a close working relationship with them moving forward. ‘We are now a very different business and since 2018 there have been substantial changes including a new CEO and senior management team. We have developed from a young entrepreneurial business into a national retailer, with health and safety a priority at all levels. ‘This case related solely to past health and safety and was unconnected to the manufacture of our products. Our customers can be assured these issues have never affected the production or quality of our furniture.’
www.frmjournal.com JUNE 2020 19
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