A car repair business in Dundee has been fined after an employee died from inhaling fumes on the premises.
Steven Conway, 33, was employed by Diamond Wheels (Dundee) Limited to undertake general duties at its garage site on the Dryburgh Industrial Estate. While there Mr Conway was responsible for replacing tyres and moving alloy wheels in and out of the chemical stripping tank - this exposed him to dangerous dichloromethane vapours, which led to his death.
Any business must be aware of the health and safety risks in their workplace. Car garages can obtain employer's liability cover as part of their combined motor trade insurance policy, which can offer financial protection for liability cases resulting from an injury to an employee. Calling upon risk management experts - a service Bollington can provide - is also a good way of addressing potential hazards in the workplace before they become an issue.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into Mr Conway's death found that he was provided with no formal training in respect of the use of the chemical stripping tank and the chemical stripping agent used by the company. Instead he was given ‘on the job’ training.
Diamond Wheels (Dundee) Limited, of Nethergate, Dundee, was fined £50,000, after pleading guilty to offences under Section 2(1) and 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
