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UK News - Breaking news in the field of health and safety
Photo booth company failed to meet basic duties owed to ....
Photo booth company failed to meet basic duties owed to employees handling chemicals
3 men developed serious skin problems through contact with chemicals they were obliged to handle in the course of their work in servicing photo booths for their employer, the FTSE 250-listed Photo-Me International plc (PMI).
The 3 employees now suffer from an allergic contact dermatitis, a consequence of unnecessary contact with the chemicals over a number of years which arose from PMI's admitted failure to address many of the requirements of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations, legislation introduced nearly 20 years ago to prevent such occupational ill-health. Duties under RIDDOR were not performed in respect of the dermatitis, a reportable condition.
£100,000 fine
HSE investigation of the PMI's Bristol-based operation revealed a wider, apparent inability to manage health and safety, evidenced by its risk assessment inadequacies and lack of staff training in health and safety, it was initially alerted to the situation after being contacted by one of the employees.
Sentencing was referred to Bristol Crown Court where last week PMI was fined £100,000, with £30,000 costs.
PMI recently signed a 5-year agreement with Post Office Limited to locate around 400 photo booths and other equipment in the Post Office’s directly managed branches, this is expected to generate around £5m for the company each year. It employs several hundred servicing engineers.
02.10.06
