Recent prosecutions: Firm fined £10,000 for safety offences after surprise HSE visit

A joinery firm has been hit with a £10,000 fine for a catalogue of health and safety breaches. As part of an unannounced visit, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors identified multiple compliance issues exposing employees to avoidable workplace hazards.

Wood dust was a key concern, with the business failing to implement preventative safety measures – such as extraction equipment and health surveillance – in line with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002. The HSE inspection also revealed non-compliant electrical installations, including both fixed and portable appliances and machinery.

Controlling wood dust exposure in your builders merchant

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH) Regulations, employers are legally required to protect employees against exposure to hazardous substances, including wood dust. This can be achieved using a range of tried-and-tested methods:

• Installing local exhaust ventilation (LEV).
• Banning dry sweeping within a mill or machining area.
• Providing HEPA filter or M Class vacuums to remove wood dust.
• Supplying appropriate PPE, such as FFP3 masks and gloves, when changing dust bags.
• Teaming LEV with respiratory protective equipment (RPE) when sanding.
• Using face-fit testing as part of your risk assessments when FFP3 masks are required.
• Implementing occupational health lung function testing (spirometry) or air monitoring as an extra measure.